Vase c. 1936

Here is a vase, designed by John Dana, that features medallions forming a band. The design, likely rendered in pencil or graphite, showcases a series of relief carvings, possibly intended for production in ceramic or metal. The vase is intriguing because it seems to engage with questions of labor and class. It features a variety of vignettes depicting colonial life – Native Americans, colonists trading, shipbuilding. These scenes are not simply picturesque; they speak to the material conditions of early America, and the ways in which labor was organized, exploited, and commodified. Dana's choice to represent these scenes in relief carving, a process demanding significant skill and time, imbues the vase with added significance. It's a far cry from industrial production, suggesting the value of manual work. By understanding the material and the making process, we see how Dana blurs boundaries, inviting us to contemplate the convergence of social commentary, craft, and fine art.