Pewter Inkwell c. 1936

Editor: So, here we have Henry Granet’s "Pewter Inkwell," from around 1936, a pencil drawing. It's incredibly detailed; you can almost feel the weight of the metal. I find myself wondering, what was Granet trying to say about the act of writing by focusing on this specific object? Curator: That's a fantastic starting point. I wonder, how did the social function of writing shift in the 1930s? Was it becoming democratized, more widespread beyond bureaucratic and elite circles? Inkwells, once symbols of power and knowledge reserved for a select few, might have started to appear in more middle-class homes, marking a subtle societal change. Editor: Interesting. So, Granet may have been commenting on the changing role of writing itself, not just creating a still life? Curator: Exactly! Think about the Works Progress Administration, and its focus on documenting American life during the Depression. This period witnessed an explosion of new literary voices, documented by journalists and photographers who were committed to capturing the plight of the American public. And maybe, even more relevant, a symbol of bureaucratic authority in that context? Editor: Wow, I hadn't considered it in relation to those large social programs. Now I’m seeing it as something almost... bureaucratic. It seems mundane but also essential, like paperwork. Curator: And is it perhaps relevant that he presents it in a fairly cold realistic style? Do you think he is interested in either celebrating or critiquing that functionality? Editor: I guess I thought "realism" simply meant he was good at drawing, but placing the inkwell in the context of governmental power makes me think more about his intention in rendering it so plainly. Thanks, that’s a whole new way of understanding it. Curator: Absolutely, that's why context is everything. It allows us to see these objects as active participants in historical conversations, not just silent relics.