Chair 1935 - 1942

This watercolor of a chair was made by an anonymous artist, sometime in the past. The artist is interested in the process of how an image comes together, the hatching on the seat showing the layers of application. The colours are muted, the wood and fabric are rendered in thin washes of brown and green. It feels like the artist is trying to understand this chair, the gentle undulations of the green fabric contrasted against the hard wooden frame. Look at the top right corner of the seat back, the artist has emphasized the highlights to give a sense of the chair’s volume. There is a lovely feeling to this piece. I find it interesting how some artists, like Fairfield Porter, painted domestic scenes with a similar casual approach. It reminds us that art can be found in the everyday if we take the time to look.