Tortoise Shell Lorgnette c. 1936

Curator: Right, let's turn our attention to this intriguing piece: a watercolor illustration titled "Tortoise Shell Lorgnette" from around 1936. The artist, Charles Enjoian, rendered this object in incredible detail. Editor: Oh, I am immediately drawn in by the curious elegance of this thing! It is delicate, but imposing. And the subtle play of blues in the lenses! Does anyone still use lorgnettes? It seems like something straight out of a drawing room scene. Curator: The use of watercolor gives it that airy feel, doesn't it? Lorgnettes, definitely relics of a bygone era. These folding spectacles, attached to a handle, were quite fashionable, particularly for women attending the opera or social events in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Not just functional, but a real statement. Editor: Yes! Status and identity performance, literally gazing through a crafted symbol. The tortoise shell, then, wasn't just decorative. What does its presence evoke beyond just, say, the Art Deco movement's preference for organic, 'natural' ornamentation? I'm interested in its construction. Curator: Good point. The artist really emphasized its sculptural aspect, the almost serpentine twist of the handle is striking. It's as if Enjoian isn't simply documenting an object, but celebrating the art of craftsmanship itself. It embodies decorative arts. Editor: Absolutely. Considering the era, though – mid-1930s – this feels somewhat melancholic. A quiet echo of excess from the Gilded Age, perhaps? The handle, which almost appears like bound ligaments to me, also hints at potential power imbalances of looking or scrutinizing through an instrument of luxury, doesn't it? I suppose it really offers so much room for social commentary. Curator: It really does, and that makes it such a compelling object to examine. I find myself thinking of who might have peered through these, and at what. There's something inherently voyeuristic about their design now, separated from its wearer and social history. Editor: Well, thinking about the context really elevates the piece. From surface elegance, to these more complicated undercurrents about gender, class, and observation, it becomes much more intriguing. Curator: Exactly. It prompts us to look closer at not only the object itself, but also the world it represents and the different facets of its era. Editor: Thanks to Charles Enjoian’s watercolor.