Chair 1935 - 1942

This chair rendering was made with watercolour on paper by Bessie Forman. It's got a limited palette, a muted, dark, wood colour mixed with yellow ochre and raw umber for the seat. I can imagine the act of slowly painting this chair, maybe observing it carefully while sitting on another chair. I wonder how long it took Forman to paint each leg? I love the way they transition into paws, like the chair is alive or morphing into an animal. The lyre on the backrest makes me think of music, and the thin, delicate lines suggest a feminine sensibility. Did Forman design furniture, or was she just interested in drawing the objects around her? It reminds me a bit of the Shaker art tradition, with its emphasis on simplicity and functionality, but it also has a touch of whimsy. There is a long history of artists representing furniture in painting. They keep inspiring one another, and this artwork is now inspiring me!