Wooden Chair c. 1939

Curator: At first glance, the watercolour gives off the feeling of home. What do you think? Editor: Immediately, it strikes me as humble, sturdy. It's clearly a handcrafted piece, not something mass-produced. Almost… ancestral. Curator: That makes sense! Majel G. Claflin painted it in about 1939. It's entitled 'Wooden Chair'. What can you tell me about it through iconography? Editor: The chair itself, as an object, speaks of domesticity, of gathering. The upright back suggests structure, but the warm wood grain evokes comfort, tradition. Look at the simple patterns carved into the wood itself – horizontal lines representing peace? These choices give visual order. Curator: Interestingly, watercolor as a medium experienced a revival around this time. During the Great Depression, government art programs often promoted the medium, partly because it was relatively inexpensive and easily accessible to artists across America. Claflin's choice speaks, perhaps, to broader socio-economic conditions impacting artistic practices. Editor: It speaks of the democratizing influence in that particular art, where art served everyday people and circumstances, yet still feels stylized. Those ladder-like slats symbolize an upward striving or simple practicality of being functional, and being well-crafted at that. Curator: Absolutely! The neutrality of its aesthetic gives voice to the struggles felt during this difficult time. Everyday people and scenes mattered and held import for these artists. Editor: And now we gaze upon that time as an emotional piece of symbolic artistry. Curator: Very well observed, as always! Thank you. Editor: It's a pleasure as always.