Mortar and Pestle Sign c. 1939

Editor: We're looking at "Mortar and Pestle Sign," a drawing from around 1939. It seems to be made with graphite, pencil, or maybe even charcoal. There's a surprising elegance in the way this everyday object is rendered. What do you make of it? Curator: It’s interesting how this object, seemingly so humble, is elevated to art. I think it says a lot about the era in which it was created. Consider the late 1930s. What kind of societal shifts might be happening that would lead someone to immortalize a mortar and pestle? Editor: Maybe a focus on the essential, practical tools, reflecting the hardships of the Depression era? Curator: Precisely. There was a movement towards valuing labor, industry, and even domestic skills. It served a functional purpose, likely to signal what kind of business the premises harbored. Art like this can often reflect underlying socio-economic currents, even when it depicts a simple object. Editor: It's more than just a representation, though, isn't it? It's a claim about value. A pharmacist perhaps taking pride in craft. Curator: Exactly. It is celebrating labor and industry. And you have to think, if you saw that image would you seek refuge within the pharmacy? Editor: That makes perfect sense. So, beyond being a straightforward image of a mortar and pestle, it functions as a social artifact. Curator: Precisely. It’s about understanding what it communicated within its own time, within its intended environment and how ideas evolve through representation. What initially looked like a simple drawing actually holds quite complex stories. Editor: I never considered art's ability to be about class struggles. Very helpful. Curator: And now, hopefully, when you see an artwork, you may be able to consider the social factors, along with aesthetics.