Rocking Chair c. 1942

Curator: Right, let’s talk about James Fisher’s "Rocking Chair," a drawing from around 1942. It's primarily charcoal, but there's also some suggestion it could incorporate oil pastel or colored pencil as well. The chair itself is centered on toned paper. Editor: It's odd, isn't it? I mean, a single rocking chair, depicted with such... loneliness? There's a palpable sense of stillness and absence radiating from it. It feels like a portrait, but of a feeling. Curator: Exactly! It almost begs the question, who just left that seat? Fisher’s use of what seems like toned paper really softens the contrasts, giving it a nostalgic air. Plus, the rocking chair – it’s so clearly defined, so present. The intricate weave of the seat and back—it speaks of craftsmanship, history, domesticity. Editor: Yes, the rocking chair as a symbol—comfort, the passing of time, perhaps even illness and recovery. There's an odd parallel, too, with a throne. This everyday object is rendered with such attention, such dignity, it feels almost like a secular icon. The dark frame and intricate curves carry such regal air. Curator: I think the setting of it does it more for me than the symbol; it doesn't feel fully rendered or at home—stark. Also, the texture work looks very precise. This could suggest a more personal intention. It isn't just a chair; it's *his* chair. He focuses and uses rendering techniques such as underpainting, color pencil and possible oil on this 'domestic throne' as you said to convey a sense of importance. It makes me think of someone reflecting in that chair! Editor: Precisely, James Fisher understood how to portray psychological as well as physical dimensions of our existences. Rocking Chair can feel deeply affecting with time because of that. It resonates. Curator: Agreed! It takes us someplace specific, a memory palace constructed of ink and charcoal and personal history.