Laced Chair c. 1940

Pearl Davis made this watercolor and graphite pencil drawing, Laced Chair, some time during her long life that stretched from 1855 to 1995. Davis was an American artist whose work speaks to the intersection of craft, labor, and the domestic sphere, traditionally associated with women's work. The simple chair, meticulously rendered, invites contemplation on the relationship between functionality and artistry. Consider the time and skill required to create such an object, reflecting on the value placed on handmade goods versus mass-produced items in an ever-industrializing world. The laced seat, woven with care, stands as a testament to the artist's attention to detail, transforming an everyday object into something beautiful. Davis’s Laced Chair encourages us to consider the human element embedded in the creation of even the most utilitarian objects.