High-bottom High-back Armchair c. 1939

Dorothy Johnson made this drawing of a High-bottom High-back Armchair at an undetermined date. It's really all about line work, with these slightly wobbly lines, and the earthy brown palette is so understated it's almost like a whisper. You can feel the hand in this image, it’s all about the texture, color, and surface of this chair. The paint is thin, almost transparent, which gives it this delicate, ephemeral quality. There's this one little mark on the armrest, this tiny, almost imperceptible wiggle in the line, and it just makes the whole thing feel so human, so alive. It makes me think of Agnes Martin, with her quiet, contemplative grids. Neither is trying to shout or impress; they’re just kind of sitting there, inviting you to slow down and look closely. It reminds you that art is an ongoing conversation across time, a constant exchange of ideas and influences.