Cabinet-Top Desk c. 1953

Francis Borelli made this drawing of a Cabinet-Top Desk, sometime during his long life, with a careful, descriptive approach to mark making. I get the sense that his artmaking was a patient, observational process. Look at the way the surface is built up, layer upon layer, with delicate strokes. The warm, reddish-brown wood grain is described meticulously. See how the artist renders the play of light and shadow on the different surfaces, creating a sense of depth and volume? It's like he's trying to capture not just the appearance of the desk, but also its weight and presence. It reminds me a little of some of the meticulous renderings of furniture by the Shaker artists, but there's also something uniquely personal and intimate about Borelli's touch. Maybe Joseph Stella or Charles Demuth, who brought the same precision to their paintings of architecture. Ultimately, this drawing is not just a document, but an invitation to see the beauty and complexity in the everyday objects that surround us.