Side Chair 1936

Ferdinand Cartier made this drawing of a chair, maybe sometime in the middle of the last century, with graphite and watercolor on paper. The restrained palette – the muted greens of the seat, the browns of the wood – it all speaks to a certain kind of understated elegance. Look at the way Cartier uses color to create depth and form, but without ever becoming too flashy. It’s a delicate balancing act. The lines are crisp and precise, but there’s also a kind of warmth and fluidity in the way he renders the curves of the chair’s legs and back. See how the artist leaves the faintest line of graphite visible on the inside edge of each leg? It's a tiny thing, but for me, it brings the whole piece to life. I’m reminded of Charles Demuth, another artist who found beauty in the everyday. Both artists share a similar interest in form and structure. Ultimately, it is this interest that makes the work so compelling.