Glass Candlestick c. 1940

Editor: This is John Hall’s drawing, “Glass Candlestick,” from around 1940. It’s rendered with pencil and evokes such a quiet, contemplative mood. I’m struck by the subtle rendering of the candlestick's form. What catches your eye in this drawing? Curator: The candlestick immediately draws my attention to its shape, a stylized dolphin. The dolphin as a symbol…where have we seen it before? Consider its ancient associations with Aphrodite and the sea. In Christian art, the dolphin often symbolized Christ, guidance, salvation. Editor: So the artist is building upon these pre-existing cultural meanings? Curator: Precisely! But let's think about the *function* combined with these symbols. What does a candle *do*? It illuminates, bringing light, often signifying knowledge or truth. A candlestick holds that light aloft, integrating those symbolic layers. Now, the choice to render it in glass... how does that change our understanding? Editor: Glass suggests fragility, preciousness… but also transparency. It adds another layer, almost a moral dimension. Curator: Exactly. A drawing like this invites us to think about these layers – material, symbol, and the cultural baggage that comes with it. And how Hall used realistic detail, rather than abstraction, affects your engagement, wouldn't you say? Editor: Yes, I was just thinking... because it's realistic, it almost feels like he’s inviting us to look more closely at something we might otherwise take for granted. I’ll never look at a candlestick the same way again! Curator: Wonderful! That close observation allows those old symbols to find new resonances for us.