Settee c. 1936

Editor: Here we have "Settee," a watercolor drawing by Alfred Walbeck, created around 1936. It's interesting—more like an architectural plan than a formal portrait, and the coolness of the green against the brown makes me think of an empty drawing-room awaiting guests. What do you make of this drawing? Curator: Empty rooms echoing past conversations. Yes, that rings true! It's a rather melancholic piece. To me, the cool tones you mention create this detached elegance, like a memory fading. It's not just a settee, is it? It is this silent witness to dramas, quiet comfort. Perhaps the artist wasn't just drafting an object but evoking its hidden life. Don’t you think, sometimes, everyday objects absorb a story? Editor: Absolutely, it feels less about showing *the* settee and more about illustrating *a* settee – and through that, maybe hinting at what settees represent: home, family, perhaps social standing. The detail in the exposed elements feels significant to that story somehow, like those components are on show so one could see inside... Curator: On show for deconstruction, perhaps! You're on something here... Why pull out a part of the settee like this? My feeling is that the parts of furniture are as critical as anything else. This way they can give depth, create mood and perhaps hint at some narrative depth about function and emotion in a way we may otherwise ignore if they are left to simply *be*. They make a world out of a piece, I mean. Do you sense something like this here? Editor: Definitely. Thanks for shifting my perspective! The whole composition does feel like an examination of meaning rather than just depicting a piece of furniture. Curator: Precisely. Walbeck's piece challenges us. To truly see something, one must understand all the details about its existence and what it does to someone to possess that existence. Something I’ll be thinking about for some time!