Pewter Mug 1936

Editor: We're looking at Francis Borelli's "Pewter Mug," created in 1936. It appears to be a drawing, maybe pencil and watercolor, on aged paper. The mug itself feels very imposing and solid, almost monumental, but the sketch next to it makes it seem approachable. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The juxtaposition is key. The highly rendered mug alongside the schematic drawing creates an interesting tension. The larger image clearly focuses on craft. Pewter mugs like this, in 1936, might evoke a sense of longing for a simpler past, especially in the shadow of global political instability and looming war. It romanticizes traditional forms of labor. Do you think that connects with the ‘sketch’ beside it? Editor: Possibly. The sketch almost feels like a technical drawing, a way of breaking down the 'romance' into practical components. Like deconstructing the idea of craftsmanship. Curator: Exactly. This then leads to a key question: For whom was Borelli making this statement about craft? Who was the intended audience and what did this drawing communicate in that cultural climate? Was it for personal reflection within a sketchbook, or a study to communicate skills? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the audience that much, that gives this art so much more context. It could be anything from art student practice, to a comment on pre-war values! Thank you! Curator: Absolutely. Thinking about how the art relates to socio-political elements broadens and enriches our experience of it. There's a real public role in this art once the environment that made it is explored.