Highboy 1937

This drawing of a Highboy – a tall chest of drawers on legs - was made by Arsen Maralian. Look at the careful hatching and shading to create form and depth. I wonder about Maralian sitting, focused, maybe even slightly hunched, meticulously recreating the wooden original in paint on paper. I can imagine the challenges of capturing the three-dimensional volume and the way he has used these subtle tonal variations to suggest the grain and sheen of the wood. Notice the detail of the metal handles and the decorative shell motifs. The paint is applied thinly, precisely. You can almost feel the smoothness of the surface. It's really a faithful copy of this elaborate piece of furniture. Painters are magpies, always looking at each other’s work. This makes me think of furniture makers inspiring other furniture makers across generations. Each has their own conversation, constantly looking and responding to what has come before, making work with similar forms but with a totally different intention. And that’s the thing about art, right? There’s always space for another perspective.