Silver Candlesticks c. 1936

Editor: We're looking at "Silver Candlesticks," a pencil drawing by Giacinto Capelli, dating from around 1936. There's something so restrained and elegant about the image; almost a quiet stillness. How do you interpret this work, seeing it within a broader context? Curator: What strikes me is the tension between domesticity and a deeper, perhaps hidden symbolism. Candlesticks, historically, represent ritual, remembrance, and even mourning. Given the date, 1936, Europe was on the precipice of immense upheaval. Do you see any echoes of that looming darkness in the piece? Editor: I hadn't considered that specific historical moment, but I can see how the quiet stillness I mentioned could also read as apprehension, or holding one's breath. Curator: Exactly. Capelli's choice of silver, even rendered in pencil, also carries weight. Silver has long been associated with purity, value, and the divine feminine. In a world descending into fascism and violence, was he perhaps subtly invoking those values as a form of resistance? Editor: So you're seeing these seemingly simple objects as bearing witness, perhaps even a silent protest through their very existence? Curator: Precisely! Everyday objects often hold radical potential; and understanding that potential allows us a richer reading, wouldn't you agree? It becomes about the assertion of enduring values, a quiet pushback against the encroaching darkness. Editor: I do agree. Now when I look at this work, I see how it speaks to history, bearing witness to an impending tragedy.