Black Painted Settee c. 1936

This Black Painted Settee was made by Ella Josephine Sterling, and I love how the piece feels both like a study and a finished object. The controlled palette of black, gold, and pastel pinks, greens, and blues gives it a sophisticated, muted quality. What strikes me is the tension between the settee’s solid, grounded form and the delicate, almost ephemeral, floral decorations. The black paint is dense and opaque, creating a sense of weight, while the floral motifs seem to float on the surface, offering a playful contrast. Look at the floral decorations above the settee’s legs, it's a little explosion of color that enlivens the dark surface. These details don't seem labored over, rather they feel spontaneous and free. The piece reminds me a little of Elizabeth Murray's playful approach to form and color, Sterling's work also seems to embrace a space of ongoing experimentation, rejecting the idea of a single, fixed meaning. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation with itself, constantly evolving through the exchange of ideas and approaches.