Accounting Desk 1936

Kurt Melzer made this technical drawing of an accounting desk, probably with pencil and watercolor, at some point in the 20th century. The rendering is lovely, but the lines and color blocks are also really specific, which means the drawing isn't just about how a desk looks, but how it's made. The wood grain is evoked through these very delicate washes of brown and grey. The whole thing feels almost ghostly, like a memory of a desk rather than the desk itself. Look at the front left leg – you can almost feel the artist changing their mind, going over the lines again and again. It makes me think about Agnes Martin and her quiet, repetitive marks. Like Martin, Melzer finds something beautiful and meditative in the simple repetition of lines, even in a technical drawing. It reminds us that art can be found in the most unexpected places. There's always room for interpretation, for seeing things a little differently.