Shaker Chair c. 1938

Emil Hagen made this understated image of a chair, and I can't help but think about what it would be like to sit on. It’s as if Hagen is contemplating the design itself – the smooth, rounded lines of the rockers, the laddered back, the woven seat. I’m struck by the way the light catches the subtle grain of the wood. You can almost feel the texture of the woven seat under your fingers. It's the kind of chair that invites you to slow down, to rock gently back and forth, maybe with a book in your lap. I love how Hagen captures the quiet elegance of Shaker design – that beautiful simplicity and devotion to craft. I guess artists are always drawn to the things that offer a respite from the noise and chaos of the world. It's a reminder that even the most everyday objects can be sources of beauty and contemplation, and that the urge to create beautiful, functional things, to provide for the comfort of ourselves and others, is an eternal one.