Secretary c. 1938

Ernest Busenbark made this drawing of a Secretary, likely with watercolor, but I can’t be sure, maybe gouache, and let me tell you why. Look at the way he uses these thin, translucent washes to build up the form of the wooden cabinet. It's like he’s coaxing the object into existence, one layer at a time. I can imagine Busenbark, carefully applying each stroke, almost meditative in his process. See how the color varies subtly across the surface, creating a sense of depth and dimension? The wood grain is suggested with such delicate precision, as if he is mapping the very DNA of the tree itself. And then there's the deep, velvety red of the interior, a sudden burst of richness that throws the whole piece into relief. It’s the kind of detail that makes you wonder what other hidden treasures this Secretary might hold. Someone like Agnes Martin might have also had a similar eye for capturing quiet beauty in everyday objects, though perhaps with a slightly different emotional register. What a piece!