Armchair 1940

Editor: This is "Armchair," a charcoal and wood piece by Harry Mann Waddell, created in 1940. I’m struck by how solid and simple it feels, like a really direct representation. What do you see in this work? Curator: The form itself is remarkably forthright, isn't it? We must examine how Waddell uses line and value to create depth and texture, paying close attention to the object's intrinsic construction. Note how the charcoal emphasizes the wood grain. Does the treatment give it a personality, would you say? Editor: I think so! The texture makes it feel rustic, maybe even a little worn. Curator: Exactly. Now, consider how Waddell’s strategic use of charcoal and positive and negative space sculpts our perception. The chair isn't presented in context. Rather, it’s the object itself, isolated and intensified by the artist. What effect does the realism and isolation have? Editor: It really puts the focus on the chair as a chair, like it's an ideal chair, not *just* a chair. So it goes beyond functionality. Curator: Precisely! There's a dedication to the fundamental shape and materiality of this utilitarian object, which transforms it into something worthy of our careful consideration. Through charcoal rendering, it becomes more than the sum of its parts. I wonder, then, is the chair more chair or more art? Editor: Hmm, definitely more art! Seeing the artist focus so carefully makes you see chairs differently. Thanks for making me see the lines and space. Curator: My pleasure. It is fascinating how formal elements contribute to our deeper understanding of an artwork, or a chair, like this.