Hepplewhite Chair c. 1936

Samuel Fineman made this drawing of a Hepplewhite Chair with what looks like watercolor or gouache. The colors are so simple, just browns and greens, and the marks are economical, efficient. It's like he's thinking through drawing. The cushion looks so soft, it’s all blended and smudgy. Look at the legs of the chair, so straight and architectural compared to the curve of the back. I want to know what kind of brush he used to paint them - maybe a fine liner brush, or even a ruling pen? It’s a quiet painting but there's something about the way he's captured the light on the seat that makes it so inviting. It reminds me of the work of Fairfield Porter, who was also interested in the everyday, and in finding beauty in the mundane. There's a sense of observation, but also of affection, that makes you want to pull up a seat.