Side Chair c. 1936

Rolland Livingstone made this drawing of a side chair on paper using watercolor sometime in the 20th century. Looking at this subtle piece, I can imagine Livingstone hunched over his desk, carefully mixing his watercolors, testing the colors, patiently building up the image of the chair. Each stroke of color feels so tentative, feeling its way across the page. The palette is simple, but the artist coaxes so much out of these browns and greens. The way the brown washes over the chair, creating the wooden frame, is like watching a form emerge. He allows the colors to flow, but they always stop at the edges, containing their own spills. This artwork makes me think about the quiet, contemplative moments in the studio, when the world outside fades away and you're totally absorbed in the act of making. When was this chair made? What room did it occupy? Was it drawn from observation? I have so many questions.