Sugar Bowl 1935 - 1942

Elisabeth Fulda made this watercolor painting of a sugar bowl on paper. The image presents a delicate balance of form and function, alluding to the social rituals surrounding the consumption of sugar. Fulda was a German artist working at a time when Germany was undergoing rapid industrialization and social change. The rise of the middle class led to a greater emphasis on domestic comfort and refinement, which this sugar bowl embodies. The sugar bowl itself, as a luxury item, reflects the economic disparities of the time, given sugar was a commodity grown and harvested by exploited workforces. We might consider how this painting, with its attention to detail and delicate rendering, reflects the values of a society that prized elegance and sophistication. Art historians often consult period sources such as domestic advice manuals, etiquette guides, and even cookbooks to better understand the cultural significance of objects like this sugar bowl.