Wash Chest 1935 - 1942

Alfred H. Smith made this rendering of a Wash Chest, sometime during his lifetime, with what looks like pencil and watercolor. The subdued color palette, mostly various shades of red-brown, applied in thin washes, gives it a certain warmth. Look how he’s built up the forms using delicate layers of tone. See how the light seems to catch the edges, giving the object a feeling of solidity, of presence. There is a subtle interplay of light and shadow, particularly around the curved top and the recessed panels of the door. This attention to detail elevates the rendering from a mere technical drawing to something more akin to a portrait. It reminds me of the drawings of furniture made by Charles Sheeler. Like Sheeler, Smith takes an everyday object and transforms it through careful observation and precise execution. Both artists embrace the quiet beauty of utilitarian design. The beauty of these drawings lies in their modesty, in their willingness to find art in the mundane.