Church Pew 1935 - 1942

J. Henry Marley made this drawing of a church pew, we don't know exactly when, on what looks like brown paper. It’s all lines, an architectural sketch that doesn’t try to trick you into thinking it’s a real pew. The simplicity is so affecting; there’s something really beautiful in this kind of plainness, you know? Each line is deliberate, mapping out the contours of the pew with a gentle hand. I love the decorative elements Marley includes, the curves and shapes of the back panel and along the lower edge. It almost reminds me of Matisse’s line drawings; that same balance between representation and abstraction. I find myself thinking of Agnes Martin, maybe because both artists share a dedication to reduction. You’re left with the bare bones, but somehow, that's more than enough. It's a reminder that art isn't always about adding more but about finding the essential.