Table (Console or Card Table) c. 1936

Rolland Livingstone rendered this table, or 'Table', as it's simply called, in watercolor and graphite. What strikes me most is the detailed, almost scientific approach to its creation, focusing on form and utility. The rendering is incredibly precise, capturing the wood grain and the table's structure. Yet, there's a ghostly quality to the presentation, the light washes adding a layer of transparency, as if it is something seen through a memory. This softness contrasts the geometric precision and invites a sense of depth. The artist seems to want to highlight the object’s functionality and form, bringing it to the fore, without really letting us touch it. It reminds me a little of the work of Agnes Martin, whose delicate lines and grids create a similar sense of quiet contemplation. Ultimately, art often asks us to look closely, consider deeply, and embrace the many ways we can perceive the world.