Early American Chair c. 1936

Rex F. Bush created this watercolor painting, titled "Early American Chair," sometime in the 20th century. Bush lived through a period of immense transformation in the United States, witnessing the rise of industrialization and the changing dynamics of American identity. This image of a chair, seemingly simple, carries within it complex layers of history and cultural meaning. The chair itself, an object of everyday use, becomes a symbol of domesticity, labor, and social hierarchies. In the context of early America, furniture was often crafted by enslaved people, their labor invisibly woven into the fabric of domestic life. So, when we look at this chair, we might ask: Whose labor built it? Whose bodies did it support? Bush's choice to depict this particular object invites us to consider the stories it holds and the untold narratives of those who shaped its existence. The muted color palette may evoke a sense of nostalgia or a longing for a simpler past. Perhaps Bush prompts us to reflect on the values we assign to objects and the identities they reflect.