Silver Caster c. 1939

Editor: This is Hester Duany’s "Silver Caster," from around 1939, a delicate pencil drawing. It’s…well, it’s a very precise rendering of a kitchen object, and that feels a bit mundane, almost sterile. How should we be looking at it? Curator: It's a still life, but it's more than *just* a still life. Think about the context: 1939. This isn't just a drawing of a salt shaker; it's an engagement with domesticity, with the very objects that define a specific class and gender role. Who used such an item and why? Editor: So, the choice of object becomes significant? It speaks to something larger than just a kitchen implement. Curator: Precisely. Silver casters were symbols of affluence and formality. Drawing one during the Depression era challenges us to consider questions of labor, access, and even resistance. Was Duany consciously critiquing societal norms, or simply documenting a dying class? How do you perceive the level of polish and refinement? Does that influence your interpretation? Editor: I see what you mean about the Depression context. I suppose, subconsciously, I'm more likely to perceive this kind of object, so meticulously rendered, as…precious, in a way that now seems almost insensitive, given the poverty of that time. Curator: Consider, too, that academic art—highly skilled realism—was being challenged at this time. Duany, consciously or not, makes a statement through her artistic choices about who gets to create "art," who gets represented, and who has the privilege to own these objects in the first place. Editor: That really makes me rethink my initial reaction! It is not sterile; it is seething with silent commentary. Thank you, I never would have considered the socioeconomic implications of representing something as simple as a silver shaker. Curator: Absolutely, and by looking closely, and thinking critically, hopefully our listeners will make a more meaningful connection.