Utility Table 1937

Henry Tomaszewski made this simple watercolour drawing of a table, but we don't know exactly when. The colour palette is restrained, and it's interesting how he coaxes out this range of tones using browns and creams and off-whites. The texture in this painting is really smooth. It's almost like he's trying to create the impression of wood grain with the subtlest marks possible. There's a lovely bit of detail where the top meets the frame of the table. You can almost feel the structure, where it’s built with a few simple joins. I guess that’s what makes it a utility table. It’s doing it’s job without any fuss, and it's beautiful! This piece reminds me of Giorgio Morandi’s still lifes. He also found beauty in the simplest of things, and knew that the act of looking with attention and care could make even the most humble of objects glow. It's a reminder that art isn't just about grand gestures, but also about quiet observation.