Chair c. 1938

Dorothea Farrington made this watercolour and graphite drawing of a chair; she probably sat in front of it, carefully tracing its shape and decorative details with her brush. I can imagine her focusing on the contrast between the dark wood and the straw seat, rendered in warm, earthy tones. Maybe she paused, thinking about the person who sat in that chair, and the stories it could tell. There’s something so intimate about choosing to paint an everyday object – like a chair. It's a humble subject, but Farrington elevates it through her attentive rendering. The gold accents bring out the elegance in the curves and lines, like a little jewel. Farrington, like other artists working during the Federal Art Project, documented and celebrated American design and craftsmanship, and I see her work as part of an ongoing conversation about art, utility, and the beauty of the commonplace. The work feels both simple and profound, capturing a quiet moment in time.