Shaker Secretary Desk c. 1937

This Shaker Secretary Desk was painted by John W. Kelleher, who lived between 1855 and 1995. Kelleher’s mark-making here is gentle and smooth, as if he is trying to feel and understand the different shapes and forms through the act of painting. I am struck by how the wood grain is rendered in such detail. It gives a feeling of the artist carefully studying the structure of the furniture and how each part fits together. The surface of the paper is built up slowly with delicate strokes, and it looks as if each layer was given time to dry before being added to, a bit like how furniture is constructed. I can almost feel the quiet concentration involved in making this piece, the gentle touch, the subtle variations in the color. When I look at this, I think of the American painter, Fairfield Porter, who had a similarly relaxed and thoughtful approach to painting.