Bedroom, 1940 1935 - 1942

Perkins Harnly made this watercolor painting, Bedroom, in 1940. The blush-colored walls, suffused with light, create an intimate, dreamlike space, a private world. I wonder what it was like for Harnly to conjure this interior. Maybe he had a room like this, or maybe he dreamt it. It feels like a stage set, doesn't it? The bed, the tables, the artist's easel – each object carefully placed. Look at the turquoise table in the middle, scattered with jewelry and trinkets. The way he renders each object with such detail reminds me of Joseph Cornell's boxes, each element contributing to a larger, more mysterious narrative. There's a quietness to the scene, a sense of anticipation, like the characters have just stepped off stage, and the play is about to begin. It's like Harnly is inviting us to create our own narrative, to step into the painting and imagine the stories within.