Samuel Chase Chair 1935 - 1942

Samuel W. Ford made this watercolor of a chair, sometime between 1855 and 1995, no specific date, its about process and how things are made rather than necessarily who made them or when. The brushwork in this piece is gentle, almost shy, with delicate glazes and subtle gradients. Ford isn't trying to trick you into thinking this is a real chair, rather they seem to be suggesting that painting is a kind of translation of reality. The colors are muted, but carefully considered, and the overall effect is one of quiet observation. Look closely and you'll notice the way the artist has rendered the wood grain, hinting at the chair's history. It reminds me a bit of Fairfield Porter's paintings of domestic interiors, where everyday objects are rendered with a similar sense of intimacy. Both artists seem interested in the way that paintings can capture the fleeting beauty of the ordinary. Like all good paintings, it's not just about what is depicted, but how it's depicted.