Music Box 1935 - 1942

Chris Makrenos made this 'Music Box' from an unknown date, using materials that emphasize texture and form. The beauty of this piece lies in its deceptive simplicity. It's rendered with a delicate touch, a pale neutral backdrop to the warm hues of the wood. The drawing style feels both precise and loose, capturing the essence of the object without getting bogged down in detail. Look at the wood grain and the soft shadows - Makrenos has a real eye for the nuances of light and material. The red velvet and the little picture at the front, feel like they are creating a stage set, and give the whole thing a theatrical kind of quality. It makes me think of Joseph Cornell’s shadow boxes, how he used found objects to create miniature worlds. There’s a similar sense of wonder and nostalgia here, a feeling that art can be about opening up new ways of seeing.