Chippendale Secretary c. 1939

This drawing of a Chippendale Secretary was made by Amos C. Brinton, probably with watercolour on paper, and it's all about the way simple marks can build up a convincing picture. Look at how the wood grain is evoked with these tiny, repetitive strokes! The colour palette is mostly in the reddish-brown range, which gives it a warm, inviting feel, like you could actually touch this thing, even though it’s just pigment on paper. The artist hasn't hidden the process; you can see every stroke, every decision. Focus on the eagle perched at the very top. See how the artist used the same kind of short strokes to describe its feathers, making it feel alive and alert. For me, that eagle brings to mind those detailed studies by someone like Dürer, but with a humbler, more everyday feel. This drawing isn't trying to be flashy; it’s just quietly observing and recording. It embraces that lovely ambiguity where skill meets a real, tangible object.