New Mint Building S.F. Cal c. 1935 - 1943

Editor: We're looking at "New Mint Building S.F. Cal," a graphite drawing, potentially also a print, created by Jennie Lewis sometime between 1935 and 1943. I'm struck by the rather stark and almost unsettling mood of this cityscape. What story do you think this piece is telling us? Curator: This drawing provides a valuable look into San Francisco during a specific era, likely reflecting the social and economic conditions of the late Depression or early war years. The New Mint Building, prominently displayed, becomes a symbol of economic stability and perhaps even governmental power during a period of considerable uncertainty. Consider how the artist positions the mint within the urban landscape. Editor: It definitely stands out against everything around it. Curator: Exactly. Its almost classical architecture suggests permanence and order, contrasting with what appear to be more modest or even hastily constructed dwellings around it. Do you notice how the almost whimsical clouds draw our attention upward and then back down to the building? It's all about visual hierarchy and symbolic weight. Also, it's key to think about who had the power to depict the landscape in this way. How might class, gender, or even racial politics have played into Lewis’s choices in representing the city? Editor: I hadn't really thought about it as a commentary on power and class, but that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: Of course! Thinking about the public role of art encourages a more holistic understanding. It reminds us that images don't just reflect reality; they actively shape how we perceive it. Editor: I am looking at this from an entirely new angle.