[Pass & Seymour Switch Plate]

Fay Sturtevant Lincoln American

Not on view

Please resist the urge to flip this light switch. Photographed at close range, the switch plate is so crisply articulated that it tempts touch. Fay Sturtevant Lincoln captures the sculptural quality of this mundane fixture, revealing a keen eye for the texture and detail of domestic life. Now coveted for their retro cachet, molded Bakelite furnishings like this one were ubiquitous in the late 1940s. Though Lincoln was better known for views of glamorous art deco interiors, his attention to the vernacular architecture of homes and offices offers an intimate view of everyday design.

[Pass & Seymour Switch Plate], Fay Sturtevant Lincoln (American, 1894–1975), Gelatin silver print

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