Shaker Chair c. 1938

Emil Hagen made this watercolor of a Shaker Chair. Look closely and you can see how the texture of the weave on the seat is rendered with these tiny, individual strokes. It's meticulous, a real labor of love. I love the way the colors feel both muted and warm, like the memory of a well-worn object. The chair is so simple in form. But it also presents a complicated play of verticals and horizontals, these rectangles and curves that make the image visually engaging. The way Hagen renders the wood grain is particularly striking. It's subtle, not overdone, but just enough to give the chair a sense of depth and character. There’s a stillness to it, like an Edward Hopper painting, and it invites you to imagine someone sitting there, maybe reading a book or just lost in thought. It feels like a celebration of quiet craftsmanship and the beauty of everyday objects.