Mahogany Shaving Mirror c. 1939

This is Cushman Parker's 'Mahogany Shaving Mirror' which may have been made in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century with watercolour and graphite on paper. The mirror is presented with a high level of detail in the wood grain and the ornamental flourishes surrounding the central looking glass. It’s almost like he’s trying to pin down the very essence of "mirror-ness" here. See how the graphite outlines every element? It reminds me of how I work, building up an image through layers and layers of decisions. The colour palette is limited, almost monochromatic, which gives it a kind of stark, honest feel. I’m particularly drawn to the subtle shift in tone from the darker, more defined wood to the light surface of the mirror, which has a misty, ethereal quality. There’s something about the symmetry and precision that feels very formal, and yet it's a rendering of a functional, everyday object. It's interesting to see the hand of the artist so clearly in something so utilitarian. I’m reminded of Charles Sheeler who had a similar way of approaching his subjects. It's like they're saying, "Hey, even the mundane can be beautiful, if you really look."