Warming Pan 1935 - 1942

Editor: We're looking at Edward Jewett's "Warming Pan," made between 1935 and 1942. It's a watercolor and drawing, and it almost has this blueprint quality, like an antique technical illustration. What stands out to you about this, historically? Curator: Immediately, the very *idea* of a "warming pan" speaks volumes. It hints at a specific historical context – think pre-central heating, where such a tool was essential, particularly for the vulnerable. Who would have owned such an item, and what does its existence reveal about class structures and domestic labor at the time? Editor: So it's a clue to living conditions... Curator: Precisely. And notice the meticulous detail Jewett captures using watercolor, this hints at the values placed on craftsmanship, but perhaps also something about artistic production under the WPA federal art programs during the Great Depression. Might this rendering be a way to preserve the memory of objects from a vanishing past, or simply to provide work for artists? How does this artwork relate to notions of value, utility, and memory, particularly in the context of the 1930s and 40s? Editor: That’s a whole new way to look at a humble object! It sounds like even something as simple as a warming pan can open up a lot of questions. Curator: Exactly! Examining an artwork means asking who, why, and for whom was it created. Ultimately, what does it tell us about society? Editor: It gives new appreciation to an otherwise overlooked part of the past. Thank you!