Pitcher 1916

Editor: This is "Pitcher", crafted in 1916 by Clara Barck Welles, residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It looks like a futuristic, shiny, silver… building. What am I missing? What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Oh, I adore this pitcher. It reminds me of a very chic robot butler, poised to serve the most refreshing beverage imaginable. Don't you think Welles has perfectly captured the spirit of early Modernism – a streamlining, a rejection of fussy ornamentation, and embrace of industrial forms. Are we seeing something revolutionary? Editor: Absolutely, I see that simplicity now. So different from those frilly Victorian things. Is this "form follows function" in action? Curator: Precisely! The sleek, geometric shapes certainly suggest that. But Welles isn't just after pure utility. It's got personality. Editor: What do you mean by “personality?” It’s so…clean. Curator: Think about the slight flare of the spout, the subtle angles playing with light. These soften what could have been sterile. Imagine her hammering the metal to shape it just so. Isn't there a hint of humanity peeking through all that polished silver? Editor: Okay, I get it. It’s like she's saying "Yes, I'm modern, but I'm still handcrafted, special." I’d never thought about metalwork having that kind of nuance. Curator: That's the magic of art, isn't it? To make you reconsider the familiar and find the unexpected. What have you learned looking deeply at “Pitcher”? Editor: I can definitely say that, as far as metal sculpture goes, the pitcher's definitely full!