Velvet Lounge 1937

Florence Truelson made this watercolor of a Velvet Lounge sometime in the mid-20th century. Look at how she allows the pigment to bleed into the paper! The watercolor becomes almost like a stain. It’s like she is embracing the accidents that can happen when working with this medium. The wood frame is rendered in thin washes of brown which let the white of the paper peek through, creating a sense of light and depth. In contrast, the velvet upholstery is painted with a denser, more opaque pigment, giving it a rich, tactile quality. Notice the way the light catches the curves of the ornate frame, creating a sense of volume and three-dimensionality. Truelson's technique is reminiscent of Charles Demuth, who also embraced the fluidity and transparency of watercolor to capture the essence of objects and spaces. Both artists invite us to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the everyday world through their distinctive artistic voices.