Pa. German Chest c. 1939

This drawing of a Pa. German Chest was made by Betty Jean Davis sometime in the 20th century. I imagine her bent over the paper, carefully studying every detail of the original chest, trying to capture its essence with paint, and using color to represent the spirit of the original. It's almost as if Davis is in conversation with the original maker. What were they thinking when they painted the birds and flowers? What did these symbols mean to them? She's using her own artistic sensibility to translate their vision. You can almost see her brushstrokes, light and precise, mimicking the textures of the painted wood. The colors—that muted teal, the earthy browns and reds—have a familiar feeling, like she mixed them herself and knew how to use the right hue to get the right effect. It makes me think about how painting is always a form of inquiry, a way to explore not only the world around us but also the minds and hearts of those who came before. Davis reminds us that art is a conversation across time, each artist building on the ideas and inspirations of others.