Pascal Candlestick 1937

Curator: Here we have Ethel Dougan’s 1937 piece, titled "Pascal Candlestick," rendered in watercolor. Editor: Immediately, I see the passage of time rendered through its delicate application; there’s something quite nostalgic about the depiction of a humble object bathed in such faded glory. Curator: Indeed. Considering Dougan’s body of work, it resonates with the artistic interventions of her time, capturing vernacular and often overlooked artifacts that tell a story of cultural and material decline and reinvention, even in the face of rapid modernization. What do you make of the actual form? Editor: The candlestick itself becomes a symbol; not just of domestic ritual, but perhaps a fading tradition. The base, so grounded and earthy, seems to resist the ephemeral nature of the flame it once held. It hints at both permanence and obsolescence. Curator: Absolutely, and note how Dougan used watercolor; this might reflect ideas of transparency, exploring the layers of memory attached to an everyday item during an era marked by socioeconomic turbulence. I find it quite haunting actually. The candlestick is, after all, a clear allusion to the sacred space in everyday life. Editor: I find it interesting that you mention the socioeconomic conditions. There's something comforting in the color palette used. The soft hues offer a sense of calm, a delicate reprieve maybe? Or maybe even a hint to resilience as an object itself. Curator: Perhaps. But it does beg the question of to what extent, given gender inequality in the period, Dougan appropriates a masculine symbol with the candlestick. Does this challenge the normative assumptions of this artifact? Is she playing on its cultural capital or the lack of? Editor: I can see that, with all that said, it is about how objects retain narratives within their physical forms. And ultimately, the stories that survive regardless of their creators' conditions. Curator: Thank you, it’s important we hold such conversations about identity and how cultural landscapes have affected our experiences today. Editor: Likewise. Considering the nature of the Pascal Candlestick itself as the symbol for holy weeks, remembering rituals and stories in dark periods brings us hope in retrospect.