China Cabinet 1936

This is Ferdinand Cartier’s rendering of a China Cabinet. Look at the way the artist built this thing up from a bare surface. The precision of each line, layer upon layer, must have been so meditative. I imagine the artist considering the object, and how it comes into being. What was he thinking about when he made it? How each tiny component contributes to a more significant whole. I find myself sympathetic to the artist's goal of producing a perfect copy. Check out the surface, see how the different sheens interact? See the almost golden glow of the glass? It’s this kind of looking, this kind of sustained looking and responding that art does best. Cartier’s drawing is not just a static image, but an invitation to think and feel along with the artist, participating in a timeless conversation about art, craft, and seeing.