Trivet 1935 - 1942

Curator: Looking at this drawing by Ralph Morton, created sometime between 1935 and 1942, titled *Trivet*, I'm immediately struck by its intimacy. It's not a grand statement, but a quiet observation of the everyday. Editor: Absolutely. I sense an artisan's care in rendering this commonplace object, elevating it. It makes me think of how so much of our material culture, particularly during that time, was imbued with a handcrafted feel— a rebellion against the looming machine age? Curator: Exactly! The choice of medium, watercolor, mixed-media, pencil, even charcoal hints at that intimate approach. There's a tenderness in capturing the object's form, the texture of the wood perhaps, the small floral decoration... Editor: It's as if Morton is reminding us that even the simplest objects hold value. We must remember that this wasn't created in isolation: the decorative arts movement pushed against mass production by re-instating historical techniques into their works. How did the economic turbulence affect the perception and consumption of art and functional goods during that period? Curator: Undoubtedly, Morton found some way to blend usefulness and artistry. The pencil work lends itself beautifully to the rendering of ornate flourishes while keeping this a practical domestic scene. Editor: And isn’t it interesting to consider how museums have traditionally treated decorative arts? Often relegated to the background, they're only now beginning to be seen as holding narratives equal to painting and sculpture. The subtle politics of display! Curator: Well, you see them both differently now: A testament to craft, a moment of beauty found in utility, a study in a difficult era... Ralph Morton is saying something gentle and strong. Editor: I completely agree; looking closer now, I can sense this deeper context around it, that this drawing of an ordinary object is quite extraordinary, and perhaps a glimpse into a resilient domestic life in troubled times.