Salt Shaker c. 1936

Henry Meyers rendered this salt shaker with graphite on paper. Consider the object’s contours: its broad, stable base tapers upward, flowing into the perforated dome, a shape reminiscent of ancient reliquaries or even the domes of sacred spaces. Throughout history, salt has been more than mere seasoning. In many cultures, it symbolizes preservation and purity, its presence warding off evil. This humble shaker, then, is not just a container, but a vessel imbued with layers of cultural meaning. Look at the floral patterns: these evoke motifs from antiquity. In observing this shaker, we recognize not only its function but also the enduring human impulse to imbue everyday objects with symbolic weight. From ancient rituals to the modern table, salt and its vessel remind us of the continuous threads of meaning that bind us across time.