The Twists' living room and the paintings of Vilhelm Hammershoi

[Sason]

I've often wondered what that was hanging on the wall to the left of the door.  The clothes brush hanger makes sense.  It looks like the kind of antique you'd find at country antique markets or stores out West.

You make a good point about how old the furnishings of the Twist house are, Paul.  They contrast nicely with the furnishings of Jack's house in Texas.  The window in that Texas living room illuminates quite a different picture of family life.

Oh no, you blew his disguise!!!  

[Sason]

Paul is right, it's an old-fashioned thingie with a small mirror and clothes brushes. You can see it quite clearly when Ennis leaves the Twist house:




In this one, you can see the object and the hat behind Ennis pretty good:

I'm wondering about this holder for clothes brushes. To me it looks misplaced. Not a thing you'd expect to see in a house so stark and sparsely decorated as the Twist house. I perceive it more as an item you'd find in a house in town, rather than on a farm. I mean, who needs to brush their clothes before leaving the house to go and work on a farm?
Maybe it's a wedding gift? It could very well be the type of gift that people in the country with little money gave as a gift to give the new home a certain "air".

[Sason]

What IS this? Left side, above the bucket with cleaning utensils. Looks almost like a household sized stoup. You can see them in catholic homes in Bavaria, for example. Do Catholics in the US also have those little stoups?
We know that Mrs. Twist is Pentecostal, which brings me back to my question: what the heck is this?

Chrissi, are you sure it's cleaning utensils? I'm not sure what it is, but it doesn't look like cleaning utensils to me. And would they be kept in the living room when there's a guest?

I'd say it was fire wood. Only thing is, I don't know if there's a stove in the room.

[Monika]

I'm wondering about this holder for clothes brushes. To me it looks misplaced. Not a thing you'd expect to see in a house so stark and sparsely decorated as the Twist house. I perceive it more as an item you'd find in a house in town, rather than on a farm. I mean, who needs to brush their clothes before leaving the house to go and work on a farm?
Maybe it's a wedding gift? It could very well be the type of gift that people in the country with little money gave as a gift to give the new home a certain "air".

I agree, it does look a bit out of place.
I have never even noticed it was there. Cool! You guys have eyes like hawks!

[Monika]

Chrissi, are you sure it's cleaning utensils? I'm not sure what it is, but it doesn't look like cleaning utensils to me. And would they be kept in the living room when there's a guest?

I'd say it was fire wood. Only thing is, I don't know if there's a stove in the room.

that´s exactly what I thought it looked like too!
But is there a stove...There should be one in the kitchen anyway.

[Sason]

that´s exactly what I thought it looked like too!
But is there a stove...There should be one in the kitchen anyway.

I've just been looking through my pictures of that room. But I didn't take any pictures including that wall!! I have the kitchen and the stairs and the windows, but not the wall. 


Well, next year in Alberta....   

[Monika]

I've just been looking through my pictures of that room. But I didn't take any pictures including that wall!! I have the kitchen and the stairs and the windows, but not the wall. 


Well, next year in Alberta....   

You have no idea how much I´ve regreted not walking up those stairs...

[southendmd]

I'm wondering about this holder for clothes brushes. To me it looks misplaced. Not a thing you'd expect to see in a house so stark and sparsely decorated as the Twist house. I perceive it more as an item you'd find in a house in town, rather than on a farm. I mean, who needs to brush their clothes before leaving the house to go and work on a farm?
Maybe it's a wedding gift? It could very well be the type of gift that people in the country with little money gave as a gift to give the new home a certain "air".

I imagine these clothes brush holders were very common, even in the country.  Even though it is a modest home, the Twists aren't slovenly.  They are both neatly dressed.  Don't forget, Ma Twist would want to brush her clothes before going to church.  

[Sason]

You have no idea how much I´ve regreted not walking up those stairs...

They didn't look safe. I was afraid of doing it, being the only one inside the house.

Next year we can tie us together with a rope, and climb them one at a time!   

[Sophia]

I'm wondering about this holder for clothes brushes. To me it looks misplaced. Not a thing you'd expect to see in a house so stark and sparsely decorated as the Twist house. I perceive it more as an item you'd find in a house in town, rather than on a farm. I mean, who needs to brush their clothes before leaving the house to go and work on a farm?
Maybe it's a wedding gift? It could very well be the type of gift that people in the country with little money gave as a gift to give the new home a certain "air".

If I should mention some farmers perspective on this subject, I must say this thing with the brushes is a very common thing to have on a farm. My grandparents use to have brushes hanging just inside the door. So you could brush boots, cloths and hats. They had two brushes one for the cloths and one for the hats. The reason why is you don´t wanna bring in to much dirt in the house and brushed cloths look better then unbrushed cloths.