Table c. 1939

Charles Bowman made this drawing of a table with who knows what, it could be watercolour, ink, or something else entirely. It’s all about the intricate details, and the way he renders the wood grain and the decorative carving with such care. You can see him working, almost like he’s building the table himself, stroke by stroke. What grabs me is the texture, even though it’s a drawing. It’s not just a flat image. Look at the tabletop. The colour, the surface, it's alive. There's this one dark spot right in the middle that hints at a history. Maybe it’s where someone set down a hot cup of tea. It adds a feeling of use, and a sense of history, you know? It reminds me a bit of some of the Shaker drawings, just in its quiet focus. But Bowman is more playful, less austere, and I love that. It’s a reminder that art can be about really looking, and really seeing.