Pennsylvania Ladder Back Chair 1935 - 1942

Here, we see Samuel W. Ford's watercolor painting of a "Pennsylvania Ladder Back Chair," its date currently undetermined. The chair is rendered with an emphasis on its structural form and materiality. Ford's attention to detail highlights the chair's rustic construction. The vertical lines of the chair's legs and back contrast with the horizontal rungs and ladder back, creating a grid-like structure. The woven seat introduces texture, juxtaposing organic, curved lines with the straight lines of the frame. This interplay reflects the tension between the functional purpose of the chair and its aesthetic qualities. The earthy tones and subtle shading emphasize the chair's handmade nature. In semiotic terms, the chair transcends its utilitarian function, symbolizing a connection to rural life. Ford's painting is less about the object and more about a meditation on form, texture, and the cultural associations embedded within a simple, everyday object.