Secretary c. 1942

This is "Secretary," made by Leonard Battee. It's a watercolor painting on paper, and I'm immediately drawn to the artist's use of color and the way they build up the form of this cabinet. It's all about these translucent layers, where the wood grain seems to float up from underneath, giving the piece a kind of depth and luminosity. There's this really captivating rhythm in the repetition of shapes. Look at how the curves in the glass cabinets echo those in the decorative trim below. It is almost like Battee is thinking about the way forms communicate with each other, creating a sense of harmony and visual pleasure. The overall effect is a work that invites you to linger, to discover something new with each viewing. It reminds me a little of Charles Demuth, maybe it's the clean lines or the attention to detail. It speaks to me about the beauty of process and the endless possibilities of art as an ongoing dialogue.