Armchair 1936

Elizabeth Curtis made this watercolor painting of an armchair on paper, and I imagine her considering all the shapes, lines, and colours to create an accurate depiction. I think back to my time in art school, staring at objects and trying to get them just right - the pressure! Curtis has given us a detailed representation, from the striped fabric, complete with floral design, to the curved wooden arms. There is a slight tension between the flat picture plane and the depicted depth of the chair. The linear perspective feels slightly off, adding a touch of abstraction to the image. It reminds me of the work of other artists interested in domestic objects, like Fairfield Porter, who found beauty in the everyday. Here, the painting asks us to look closely at the design of the chair, and appreciate its form and function. Each artist observes and interprets, adding their personal vision to the mix.