Silver Meat Platter c. 1936

Curator: Here we have Hester Duany’s “Silver Meat Platter,” a drawing executed around 1936. Editor: It’s a detailed, almost architectural rendering. So precise and still. Cold, almost, like the platter itself. Curator: It's a drawing made with pencil on paper, not a photograph of a real platter, of course. This highlights an interesting perspective on consumption and labor—it's about the representation of an object more than the object itself. Consider the context: was it a design? A study for manufacture? How does this play with our notions of artistry? Editor: Absolutely. Formally, I’m struck by the subtle gradations of shading. Look at how the artist models the curvature and reflects light without the aid of color. The lack of a defined background further emphasizes the stark simplicity of the central form. And that ornamental border! A delightful contrast between simplicity and embellished geometry. Curator: The platter's intended function is to present butchered meat—this piece almost elevates it. What does that choice say about its purpose? Also, note the inscribed "HH." This artwork also reveals a socioeconomic dimension, showing details of craftsmanship in contrast to common production. Editor: It leads me to thinking on the semiotics of the oval— traditionally the egg shape associates itself with rebirth. But here that possibility is flattened and inert. Even the monogram becomes purely an abstract graphic element in relation to the whole composition. Curator: Precisely, we consider class and aspiration as rendered via graphic labor. Editor: A fascinating interplay of absence and representation—this silent drawing evokes such rich complexity! Curator: Indeed, an object of utility reimagined as a testament to social practice.