Desk c. 1936

This drawing of a desk was made by Fred Weiss, sometime between 1855 and 1995. Looking at the colour, the shapes, the light and shadow, I can't help but think about what was on Fred’s mind while making this piece. Was he sitting at a similar desk, maybe longing for a simpler time? The texture is smooth, precise, not thick with juicy emotion, but detailed, considered, with each drawer and tiny compartment carefully rendered. Maybe he was thinking about the history of furniture making, echoing the sensibility of the original object. There's a sense of preservation here, an archiving of form. I see echoes of other artists who meticulously documented everyday objects, transforming the mundane into something worthy of study. It makes me wonder what kinds of sketches and drawings I might leave behind of my own surroundings. I might start with this audio guide!