Canapé 1895 - 1935

Léon Laroche made this design for a Canapé, or sofa, with what looks like pen and watercolour. It's a world of straight lines and careful hatching, but the cushion fabric gives it that 'lived-in' feel. The colours here are so precise and deliberate; I can feel Laroche working out the tonal balance. The paper seems to breathe around the object, but the sofa is still the star of the show. Look at the precision of the lines describing the gilding on the frame, with soft shading to show the form. The fabric is light blue with repeating motifs of tiny flowers, which creates a dialogue between the solid structure of the sofa, and the patterns that soften it, like a memory. There’s something about the composition as a whole that reminds me of David Hockney's interiors – a similar clarity of colour and sense of everyday comfort. It’s a reminder that even technical drawings can be a source of joy.