Writing Desk 1941

Herbert S. Frere made this ‘Writing Desk’ with watercolor, sometime between 1870 and 1920. Look at how Frere captured the light reflecting off the wood, using thin washes of brown and gold. It’s like he’s inviting us to consider the desk not just as an object, but as something that exists in a dance with light. The whole thing feels delicate, almost tentative, a bit like Morandi's still-life paintings. There is the same quiet and contemplative mood. Notice that the green felt almost vibrates against the wood. This little jolt of color creates tension in the composition and a sense of depth, drawing our eye into the interior space of the desk. It’s as if the artist has captured a fleeting moment.