Table 1935 - 1942

Robert Brigadier made this architectural drawing of a table for the Brooklyn Museum sometime around March 23rd. Look at how he's captured the volume and form, not through shading or perspective, but by flattening the table into a series of precise lines and measurements. The paper itself is a warm, aged tone, a stark contrast to the cool precision of the lines, which vary in weight and darkness. The red annotation of 'Storage' gives a flash of bold personality to the piece, a suggestion of the human hand amid all the technicality. It's a reminder that even in something seemingly objective, there's a person, a mind, at work. Brigadier's drawing reminds me of the rigorous studies of domestic objects by the Shaker community, a similar dedication to utility and elegant simplicity. Both approaches celebrate the ordinary. Art isn't just about grand gestures; sometimes, it's about the quiet beauty of a well-made table.