Combination Table and Chair (as chair) c. 1938

Here we see an undated watercolor on paper by Joseph Sudek, titled "Combination Table and Chair." The chair is the dominant feature: a mundane object of rest and gathering. The combination piece reveals a deeper symbol: the circle. This shape, often used in tables, is rich with historical and cultural weight. Think of the Round Table of Arthurian legends, symbolizing equality and unity. Or consider the sacred circles in various spiritual traditions, representing wholeness and the cyclical nature of life. The chair, however, restricts this boundlessness, rooting it in function. This tension between the infinite and the practical brings to mind the perpetual struggle between aspiration and limitation. We seek both the freedom of the circle and the stability of the chair. This image encapsulates this dichotomy, inviting us to contemplate our place between the abstract and the tangible. The chair’s dual nature as table and seat illustrates how images resurface through time. It reminds us of the power of symbols and the ways they are recycled and reshaped to reflect new cultural needs and understandings.