Sideboard 1936

This ‘Sideboard’ was made by Arsen Maralian, but we don’t know exactly when. It’s a drawing, maybe a design, and it’s done in watercolor and graphite. What gets me about this piece is how every line feels so considered. It’s like each mark is a decision, a tiny negotiation between the artist, the object, and the page. Look at the wood grain - it’s not just copying nature, it’s like Maralian is reimagining it, giving it a new life with each stroke. The colors, too, are doing something interesting. It’s not just brown; there’s this subtle range of hues, creating depth and shadow. Then you have those little brass knobs, glimmers of light against the wood. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin’s drawings – such restraint, such precision, but with this underlying emotion. It’s more than just a drawing of a sideboard, it's a conversation about form, function, and feeling.