Rectangular Table for Serving or Tea c. 1940

This "Rectangular Table for Serving or Tea" was made with watercolor and graphite by an unknown artist. The colour palette is quite simple, mostly browns and creams, and the artist seems to be working through the idea of the table. There is something awkward about this image. The table feels wonky, like it might collapse at any moment. The surface of the table top is smooth, rendered in gradients of dark brown. The legs are slender, they look as if they’ve been inflated! The artist has taken the time to add the scallops along the bottom edge of the table, which gives the piece a lightness, a sense of playfulness. I am reminded of a similar tension between functionality and playfulness in the work of the Swiss artist, Not Vital. Both artists use colour and form to create objects that are both familiar and strange. Ultimately, the wonkiness of this table is part of its charm. It reminds us that art doesn’t always have to be perfect.