Sleepyhollow Armchair 1937

Dana Bartlett made this drawing of a Sleepyhollow Armchair with watercolor, in what seems to be a light-filled space. The cool shadow suggests a single source of light, which almost gives it an architectural rendering feel. The textures and color really bring it to life; the wood grain, the way the light catches the leather. You can almost feel the smoothness of the wood and the yielding give of the padded cushions. See how Bartlett makes the wooden structure look solid yet also somehow decorative and inviting? The more you look, the more you notice those small details, like the casters on the legs and that curious space carved out under the arm rests. It reminds me of a drawing by Man Ray, but the muted palette is more reminscent of Vilhelm Hammershøi. Ultimately, the painting has its own quiet and contemplative mood.