Purse 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have "Purse", a watercolour and coloured-pencil drawing made between 1935 and 1942 by Percival Jenner. The overall tone feels quite delicate and, dare I say, nostalgic. What kind of story do you think this simple purse might be telling? Curator: This seemingly simple image of a purse unlocks a cascade of cultural associations. The purse, particularly in this era, operates as a symbolic container, not just for physical objects but also for identity itself. Consider its form: a soft, rounded shape adorned with floral imagery. Editor: So the shape and the decoration contribute to the symbolism? Curator: Precisely. The flowers, depending on their type which is hard to determine precisely, might each carry a particular meaning – love, remembrance, perhaps even loss, imbuing the object with layers of emotion and lived experience. These botanical elements woven on the dark canvas evoke the symbolism of concealing beauty and hope against a backdrop of shadow. Given the creation date, one wonders about its connection to wartime austerity, when personal items were imbued with sentiment and resourcefulness. The purse, then, stands as a silent witness, containing not just belongings but memories and emotions as well. What do you think is inside? Editor: Probably things of great personal value rather than monetary value. Maybe a photograph, or a memento of a loved one. So it's more than just an accessory. It is really a portable archive of personal experience. Curator: Exactly! Its value transcends the purely functional, morphing into something deeply personal, a repository of individual and collective memory. Seeing this drawing again has been wonderfully illuminating, reaffirming how even the most quotidian objects can act as potent cultural artifacts. Editor: I completely agree. It is a reminder to look deeper and consider the human element that everyday objects often carry within them.