Cannon Stove c. 1939

Curator: We are looking at Regina Henderer's "Cannon Stove," a drawing dating to around 1939, rendered in watercolor and charcoal. Editor: Immediately, I am struck by its somber feel, almost like a monument. The texture makes me want to reach out and touch the cool, patinated surface. Curator: Henderer seems less concerned with portraying an object and more engaged with the industrial processes, the sheer labor, involved in manufacturing it. The materiality dominates, it isn’t a decorative or celebrated thing, but solid metal. Editor: But what *is* it representing? I see it not as mere metal, but the symbol of hearth and home, even in a transient period. The cannon stove could evoke warmth, security—essential comforts, particularly significant during a time when the world was entering a period of war. Curator: Right, but I'd say the symbolism comes second to the making. The charcoal and watercolor blend so meticulously it feels as if she aimed to embody the qualities of the iron. We see its physical making and therefore the energy demands on the working class. The image portrays this singular object removed from context. We see only its design and massing, but divorced from lived use, or domestic comfort. Editor: Yet, the very realism emphasizes its tangible presence in daily life. Even a utilitarian object gains power, representing the desire to preserve some degree of normalcy and security. This solitary focus enhances that reading! It brings our attention to all the emotions linked to warmth, and light that could otherwise go unnoticed. Curator: Perhaps the act of representation transforms that original labor? Though by depicting it this way, without a place in a home, for example, there's this ambiguity of use that leaves us only with this image. Editor: Well, for me, it's the intimate portrayal of an everyday object elevated to a symbol—one of both domesticity and resilience—captured with a quiet dignity. The image remains both affecting and, as you say, perhaps deliberately isolated. Curator: Agreed, the blending of craft and social reflection truly speaks volumes! Editor: And what a reminder of art’s potential to imbue even the mundane with deep and lasting meaning.