Sofa c. 1940

Harry Eisman made this drawing of a sofa, we don't know when or with what, but it's all about line, isn't it? Notice how the outlines define the shape, but also the texture of the wood. The drawing is rendered in careful detail, look at how the varying dark brown tones capture the rich grain of the wood. The dark grey tones of the sofa itself create a smooth contrast. Check out the small dots along the trim – they almost vibrate, don't they? In a way, it’s not really about the sofa at all, but about all these marks together, building form. I think of the way Guston would render the world, brick by brick, object by object, in these tactile marks. This piece reminds me of architectural drawings, but also of the way Hockney would draw interiors, trying to capture a sense of place and time through careful observation. Like art, furniture design is an ongoing conversation, each piece building on what came before.