Highboy c. 1937

Isadore Goldberg made this drawing of a Highboy, we don't know exactly when, using pencil and watercolor. The way he layers those thin washes of color, it's like he's building up the form bit by bit, a process of discovery. Look at the grain of the wood, how he suggests it with these delicate, swirling lines. It’s like he’s feeling his way around the object, trying to capture its essence. I love the way the legs are rendered, those bulbous shapes almost seem to wobble, full of life and energy. You can almost feel the weight of the piece pressing down. It reminds me a bit of some of the folk art I’ve seen, that same sense of directness and sincerity. Art isn't just about replicating what you see, it’s about finding new ways to see, and new ways to feel.