Gate 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have "Gate," a drawing by Charlotte Angus, made with ink on paper sometime between 1935 and 1942. The level of detail is captivating! How can we interpret its style through a Materialist lens? Curator: I am particularly struck by the implications of depicting decorative ironwork, and by extension, considering what kind of social class or system employs artisans who are trained to produce this gate's highly stylized lyre, scroll, and floral forms. What statements about power dynamics are embedded in the production and consumption of these images? Editor: So, focusing on the labor involved rather than just the aesthetic quality? Curator: Precisely. Consider the physical process, too. Ink on paper offers precision, mass reproducibility. Was this design intended for broader dissemination, perhaps in a catalogue for prospective wealthy clients? The means of reproduction shift its meaning entirely. Editor: I see... it becomes less about individual craftsmanship and more about accessibility for a specific market. The ironwork itself, though, it's permanent. This is a record of the process and labor involved. Curator: Right. That permanent physicality also speaks to notions of class and stability in 1930's. While the drawing captures the ornate gate on paper, imagine the difference if it were textile instead, perhaps printed en masse. Each evokes a vastly different story about production, value and function. The work invites us to explore how anxieties around production were manifesting in this period. Editor: That makes so much sense! I've never thought of analyzing decorative arts in this way, by focusing on production and consumerism first, then drawing implications of value, status, and social messages. It recontextualizes everything! Curator: Indeed, a focus on the material underpinnings allows us to really dissect the deeper, embedded narratives present in artwork beyond surface appearance and into power dynamics.