Walnut Wash Stand c. 1941

Harry King made this Walnut Wash Stand painting using watercolors. I find it so interesting how King allows the wood grain to be so visible; it gives the wash stand a kind of depth and personality, don't you think? The way King has used the watercolors here is really striking. He's built up layers of transparent washes, letting the light bounce off the paper and create this luminous effect, especially on the top surface. See how he uses subtle gradations of brown and amber to mimic the natural variations in the wood? And look at the tiny details – the delicate curves of the handles, the way the light catches the edges of the drawers. It reminds me a bit of Agnes Martin's delicate, grid-like paintings, where the focus is on subtle variations and the beauty of simple forms. It’s like King is having a conversation with the tradition of still life painting, but with a twist, focusing on the everyday object and finding beauty in the mundane.