Duncan Phyfe Chair c. 1936

Walter W. Jennings made this drawing of a Duncan Phyfe Chair sometime in the 20th century. It's a beautiful example of the way that something so seemingly straightforward, a coloured pencil drawing, can open up into something really special. I love the texture of the drawing, the delicate, almost hesitant marks. Look closely, and you can see the build-up of colour, the way the artist has layered the pencil to create depth. The light blue of the chair is so calm and inviting; the pink of the chair legs is also a great choice, giving warmth and softness. I think there's something very intimate about that, like a quiet conversation between the artist and the object. The drawing reminds me of Fairfield Porter's domestic interiors, in the sense of creating a feeling of intimacy. Jennings's drawing is a reminder that art is really about how we see and feel the world around us. It embraces the ambiguous and multiple interpretations that art can hold, rather than a fixed meaning.