Lowboy 1935 - 1942

This drawing of a lowboy was made by an anonymous artist with pen and watercolor over graphite. It feels like the artist really enjoyed capturing the subtleties of the wood grain. You can almost feel the texture, like running your hand over it. The use of watercolor gives the piece a translucent quality, letting the light filter through the layers of pigment. Looking closely, especially at the legs, you see the artist has created volume and shape with delicate washes, building up shadows and highlights. There’s a quiet confidence to the mark-making. The little knobs on the drawers and the curves of the legs really catch my eye; they remind me of the surrealist furniture by artists like Meret Oppenheim. The drawing exists as a kind of portal, where craftsmanship meets the unexpected. Artmaking is about how we can keep the conversation going, across time.