Platter - "Pennsylvania Arms" c. 1936

Curator: Here we have an intriguing piece from around 1936, titled "Platter - 'Pennsylvania Arms.'" It appears to be a print or engraving. Editor: It’s immediately striking! The monochrome palette and the very busy composition create a rather formal, almost stern, impression. There's a real tension between the central heraldic image and the ornate floral border. Curator: Yes, and it's important to recognize how the decorative arts in that period often drew on symbols of state and local pride. This platter, even as a decorative item, functions almost as a piece of political imagery. It is reflecting ideas of state identity in a specific period. Editor: The visual language is clearly referencing older traditions – crests, flora. But I can't help but see it as somewhat stiff and lifeless. Do you think that rigidity reinforces specific cultural values or anxieties of the time? Curator: Exactly. It is tempting to speculate the kind of aspirations behind the production and display of such objects, even in the private sphere. The clear, almost propagandistic display of local pride indicates a period where regional identities were very potent. Also the historical dimensions of the image should not be neglected, and one needs to find the appropriate archive material from the Pennsylvania to cross-reference this visual display to reconstruct their meanings. Editor: From a compositional standpoint, I’m curious about how the artist utilized texture to create visual depth. The contrast is strong. There are some striking forms like the muscular horse on the left, set against the gentler curve of floral adornments. The contrast of texture seems almost strategic. Curator: I find it a complex intersection of civic promotion and decorative expression. This piece encapsulates a specific cultural moment, and this period is very well understood for promoting identity formation as an effort of community consolidation and negotiation. Editor: Absolutely, I was stuck with this visual push and pull, trying to balance meaning within the constraints of form and vice versa. It's not a particularly restful work; there is too much to focus on, too much symbolic language to unravel all at once. Curator: It's a visual statement. Perhaps its very business reflects the cultural energies of its time and its purpose in shaping a particular vision of Pennsylvania identity. It truly is in conversation with larger socio-political movements and trends. Editor: Perhaps! Thanks for this enlightening dive into Pennsylvanian identity.