Eettafel / biljarttafel before 1904

This print shows three stages of a convertible dining table/billiard table, but who made it and when remains a mystery. What is remarkable is how the anonymous artist documented the different possible uses of this piece of furniture: with the pool table top neatly stored on top, as a dining table, and as a billiard table. The careful approach to colour is striking, with the restrained use of green and brown creating a sense of luxury, whilst grounding the illustration in reality. Look at the way the brown ink of the wood grain is applied; it's precise, but not overly so, creating the illusion of texture and depth. And the simple washes of green, which are used to depict the felt, create a tactile contrast with the surface of the wood. This print reminds me of the work of contemporary artist, Chris Ofili. In his watercolour paintings he, like the anonymous creator of this print, is interested in how an object of simple everyday life can also be elevated to the realm of art.