Chaise longue 1895 - 1935

This is an image of a chaise longue, a drawing made by Léon Laroche. Laroche's piece strikes me as a study in delicacy and detail. The gentle blush tones are carefully rendered, and the overall effect is one of calm and quiet. The linework traces the furniture's form, never quite solidifying, which gives a sense of movement, as if the object is constantly reforming. I like the way the drawing exists somewhere between representation and abstraction. Take a look at the back of the chair, the way it curves, almost questioningly. It makes me think of the ways we use furniture, as something to lean on, literally and metaphorically, in our lives. There's a tension between functionality and beauty in this design, a negotiation that plays out in the slight imperfections. I’m reminded of the drawings of Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, another artist working in France a century earlier, who managed to capture the delicacy of line with a similar elegance. Ultimately, art is a conversation across time, and each piece like this chaise longue is a unique contribution.