Kitchen Bench Table c. 1936

Vincent P. Rosel, who lived from 1855 to 1995, made this "Kitchen Bench Table" drawing, with some kind of graphite or colored pencil on paper. The lines describing the wood are so careful and delicate, you can almost feel the smoothness of the timber. There is a real sense of intimacy and care in the way that Rosel has approached the drawing. Look at how he has rendered the grain and texture of the wood, the precision of the lines and the tonal variations that give depth and volume to the piece. The whole thing is so meticulous and detailed that it feels almost devotional. I’m especially drawn to the circles cut into the side supports. They are the only ‘decorative’ aspect to the bench, and they lend the whole thing a strange anthropomorphic feeling, like friendly eyes. It reminds me a little of the drawings of furniture by the Viennese secessionist Koloman Moser, though maybe with an even more naive, homespun sensibility. The drawing invites us to appreciate the beauty in simplicity and the handmade. It’s a quiet, humble masterpiece.