Mirror c. 1936

Arthur Johnson made this watercolour painting of a mirror. The frame is the star here, all done in this smooth, even wash of reddish-brown. It’s like he’s thinking about the idea of a mirror as much as the object itself. There's this playful crest at the top with a little botanical doodle in the center, echoed by the smaller motif at the bottom. The brown isn't just brown; it's got this gentle, inviting quality. The whole painting feels incredibly light. You can almost feel the paper underneath. And that blank space where the mirror should reflect something? That’s kind of daring, right? It’s like Johnson’s saying, “Hey, the real reflection is what you bring to it.” This piece makes me think of Charles Burchfield, who could also find the sublime in the everyday. In the end, this mirror is more than just a mirror; it's a little stage for your imagination.