Iron Hitching Post c. 1937

Editor: This is Samuel Fineman’s "Iron Hitching Post," made around 1937 using charcoal. It depicts what looks like a small bronze sculpture of a Black child. The title hints that this might have been a common lawn ornament in the 30’s, but the way he’s holding what appears to be a broken shackle... it feels loaded. How do you interpret this work? Curator: That broken shackle is key. Consider the socio-political context of the late 1930s. This work prompts uncomfortable questions. Who was commissioning such pieces? What narratives were being reinforced about African Americans in public spaces through these “ornaments?” The placement of such a figure on a lawn is a deliberate act, one that reinforces a social hierarchy. Editor: So, the medium and composition aren’t just aesthetic choices but tools for reinforcing social narratives. It’s more than just a drawing of an object, it’s a document of that era's power structures. Curator: Precisely. Fineman’s choice to render it in charcoal, almost like a study, perhaps invites a closer, more critical reading. It subtly resists simply presenting this image as a given. He makes us confront the gaze itself. Whose perspective is centered here? What does it mean to observe such a figure? Editor: So the artist isn't necessarily endorsing this image, but maybe prompting us to think about the act of observing and the history embedded in everyday objects. Curator: Absolutely. This work makes you realize that something as seemingly innocuous as a lawn ornament carries a heavy historical weight, influencing public perception. It’s not simply a drawing; it’s a social commentary, revealing uncomfortable truths about racial representation and the institutional forces at play. Editor: I never thought I could learn so much about a whole era just from looking closely at one charcoal drawing! Thank you.