Sideboard 1936

This 'Sideboard' rendering, by Arsen Maralian, is a small watercolor drawing. You can see how the artist took a fine brush and used it to delicately trace the patterns in the woodgrain. I can imagine Maralian carefully working on this drawing. Maybe he wanted to capture the real sideboard in a simple, illustrative way. You can see the patience and attention to detail that went into creating this piece. There's a warm tone to it. I wonder, what did Maralian want to make us feel by choosing a specific palette of dark reddish-brown and gold hues? Paintings like this always remind me that artists don't work in a vacuum. They are inspired and learn from each other, building on the ideas and techniques of those who came before. Art is a conversation across time and place. And it continues to evolve with each new artist who picks up a brush.