Pole Screen 1935

Melita Hofmann rendered this pole screen design in pencil on paper in 1935. The pole screen itself was a decorative and functional object that was placed near the fireplace to shield faces from the heat. The design is described as Sheraton Hepplewhite, referencing two London furniture designers whose work defined late 18th-century taste. These designs were popular in the United States and were often reproduced in cabinet-making manuals. The appearance of these design terms alongside the words "American Wing" points to the rising interest in American decorative arts during the early 20th century. Wealthy collectors began donating period rooms to museums. The Colonial Revival, a nostalgic movement for earlier American design, became popular in the 1930s. Art historians consult period room installations, design manuals, and exhibition histories to understand the work of art in its proper time. This drawing may have been part of this trend.