Chair 1935 - 1942

This drawing of a chair was made by Bessie Forman, but we don't know when. Looking at it, I'd guess it was made with watercolors and pencils. It has a light touch, a sense of line, but a real interest in the chair as an object. Forman focuses on the textures; the velvet seat, and the dark wood, which she renders with lots of thin lines, creating volume, and shape. But it's not just a drawing of a chair, it's also kind of a portrait. I love the way the legs are drawn, like weird, turned and carved, animal feet. It makes the chair look like it might get up and walk away. Maybe this drawing is of a particular chair, but it's also like, what is a chair anyway? I think of Elizabeth Murray, who often painted domestic objects like chairs and cups, and transformed them with humor and surrealism. This chair is a little surreal too.