Gaming Table 1935 - 1942

Ferdinand Cartier made this drawing of a gaming table, using what looks like watercolour, sometime in the twentieth century. I like how controlled and even the application of the pigment is; it’s as though the artist is setting himself a challenge, pushing the medium to perform in a precise, illustrative manner. The palette is mostly muted browns, which adds to the sense of formal reserve, but then you notice the small details – the gold flourishes, the pale green within the backgammon board, which lift the whole piece, introducing a subtle shimmer. The painting has a slightly detached, analytical feel. The tabletop surface, with its chess and backgammon boards, appears almost like a map of some game only Cartier understands. This control reminds me a little of the fastidious surrealist paintings of someone like Giorgio de Chirico, but there’s also a slightly naive element here, as if Cartier is exploring the world of design with fresh eyes. With art, it’s never about finding one correct answer, but about enjoying the play.