Mahogany Desk c. 1939

Editor: Here we have Edward A. Darby's "Mahogany Desk," a watercolor drawing from around 1939. It's striking how substantial and solid the desk looks, even rendered in watercolor. What stands out to you as you consider this piece? Curator: You know, it almost feels like peering into someone's study, a space frozen in time. There’s a stillness here, an appreciation for craft and design. But there’s also something melancholic about it, isn't there? The way the light catches those drawers, promising secrets or forgotten correspondence… it's a little like finding an old key and wondering what door it unlocks. I’m also struck by the detail. Did Darby work as a designer, perhaps? The rendering is technically so exact. Editor: Melancholic is a perfect way to describe it. I’m also interested in how Darby chose watercolor for this subject, and how that contributes to that feeling. Do you get a sense of its original purpose or setting? Curator: The realism and academic art styles would certainly put it within a tradition. Now, given it’s from 1939, and the clear influence of furniture design drawings of the era, it wouldn't surprise me if it served some commercial purpose—a catalog illustration, maybe? Imagine seeing this and immediately envisioning it as the centerpiece of your own home. Don't you wonder if its presence offered a sense of stability and refined taste amidst uncertain times? Editor: That’s a great point. It’s interesting how context changes our view. I’ll never look at furniture the same way again! Curator: Me neither! Isn't it lovely when a piece of art suddenly whispers untold stories?