Side Chair 1935 - 1942

Ferdinand Cartier made this picture of a chair with watercolor and graphite on paper. The neutral ground isolates the object, making it pop. You know, sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to draw! A chair is something we all recognize, we've all sat on one. It's part of our everyday lives. I wonder if Cartier spent a long time looking at it, turning it around in his mind, thinking about its form and function? The precision here is striking, each line carefully placed. The colors are muted and sophisticated, the gentle shadow suggests a quiet interior space. I notice the slight curve of the back, the way the legs taper to these cute little feet. There is a great sense of balance. It reminds me of other designers and artists who took everyday objects and turned them into something special, like the Shaker furniture makers, who were known for their simplicity and craftsmanship. This is a modest but powerful image, a testament to the beauty that can be found in the everyday.