Butter Mold c. 1938

Curator: Look, isn’t that darling? Editor: Indeed, this lovely drawing rendered in graphite and pencil is entitled "Butter Mold," dating circa 1938 by Franklyn Syres. It's just…well, rather subtle, isn’t it? A gentle representation. Curator: Subtle, yes, but rich in symbol. Consider the eagle—a long-standing emblem of power and freedom, embraced by empires and nations. What's your feeling about that particular nationalistic bent during that period? Editor: During the late 1930s, representing traditional American values, certainly. The New Deal era prioritized recovery through standardization of production—even in everyday items, but still… an interesting motif choice for such a humble, domestic item. It is almost militaristic with the precise linear symmetry and overall circularity of the object which encloses this imagery, right? Curator: Exactly. And notice how the surrounding laurel wreath echoes classical victory? What this evokes is a sense of idealized, perhaps even propagandistic patriotism seeping into the mundane realities of life in 1930s America, specifically relating to design standardization across production lines and the role of symbolism as a public statement, Editor: A constant reinforcement of identity through even the simplest means. And speaking of design, look at the stylized feathers, they’re less literal, almost an abstract patterning, no? Curator: They become cultural short-hand for the 'American eagle' in popular culture. The artistic choice in deconstructing the icon while retaining its inherent symbolic resonance—it almost humanizes it. Making it familiar while it acts in a greater public role. Editor: Perhaps we're all molded, in a way, by our surroundings, pressed into shape by the symbolic weight we carry every day. The artist captures this quiet phenomenon wonderfully here, I believe. Curator: Yes, the interplay of symbol and object truly offers a lens into that moment. Thank you.