Easy Chair 1937

Arthur Johnson made this watercolor and graphite work on paper, called Easy Chair. Looking at this armchair, I imagine Johnson starting with the legs, grounding the piece with simple, solid lines, then letting the rest kind of bloom organically. You know? Like, he’s feeling the flowers and foliage, letting them drape and climb over the frame. It’s like he’s not just depicting a chair but imagining it alive, like something growing in nature. The pinks and greens against the brown make it feel somehow both retro and timeless, like a faded memory of a tropical getaway. The way he renders the fabric, it’s almost as if he’s inviting us to sink into this plushy paradise. I think he would have liked to see someone using it.