Chest of Drawers c. 1938

Editor: Here we have Francis Borelli's "Chest of Drawers," circa 1938, rendered in watercolor and drawing. The colors are very muted and earthy. I’m curious about how the decorative art style influenced this drawing. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Considering this as a drawing of an object, the chest of drawers itself represents a site of both labor and consumption. Someone crafted this piece, selecting and shaping the materials. Reflect on what sort of wood, the finishings used, and what this meant about available resources at the time. And then someone else purchased and filled it. Editor: So, you're saying to look at the process behind it? What it means to make furniture? Curator: Exactly! Think about the artist, too. Was Borelli simply documenting an object, or was there a critical engagement with the ideas of domesticity, consumerism, and class signified by the chest? The choice of materials - watercolor and drawing - are they elevating craft to the status of art? Or something else? Editor: That’s fascinating, I never would have thought about this drawing as speaking to consumption and labour. Thank you for broadening my understanding! Curator: Consider, too, that mass-produced furniture becomes prevalent shortly thereafter, impacting the handmade market forever. This drawing exists on a cusp between those eras, doesn't it? I’ve certainly learned something by discussing the chest with you today.