Platter - "Bridge over Skuykill" c. 1936

This platter depicting the "Bridge over Skuykill" was created by Helmut Hiatt, who lived from 1855 to 1995, though the specific date of creation is unknown. Hiatt was a long-lived artist whose career navigated significant shifts in artistic and social landscapes. This piece invites us to consider the intersection of landscape, industry, and identity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The image on the platter shows a bridge, a symbol of progress, but also a divider between spaces and communities. We see figures crossing the river, possibly on their way to or from work in the industrial areas nearby. Hiatt’s choice to depict this scene on a domestic object like a platter speaks to the way industry and landscape were becoming part of daily life. It asks us to reflect on the relationship between progress and the natural world, and how those changes impacted individual lives.