Chair 1935 - 1942

Simon Weiss made this watercolor painting of a chair sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Weiss, who lived to be almost 100 years old, probably saw many changes in American life and culture, especially in the ways people lived at home. This chair might seem like a simple subject, but think about what a chair represents: rest, domesticity, and maybe even a sense of status. In a time of rapid industrialization, the objects we choose to surround ourselves with speak volumes. The painting style is straightforward, almost documentary. Weiss's careful rendering suggests an interest in the everyday, but also a desire to capture something lasting. Perhaps it’s a longing for a simpler past or a reflection on how even the most mundane objects can carry deep personal meaning.