White House Bed Cover c. 1936

Edmond W. Brown made this drawing of a bed cover at an unknown date with graphite and watercolor on paper. Just imagine the artist at work, repeating motifs, and exploring the interplay between vertical stripes and ornate borders. I like to imagine Brown thinking about how color can create different rhythms when designing this bed cover. The surface of the drawing has a distinct texture, with layers of color and detail that bring a sense of depth to the ornamental design. I love the rhythm between green and red. Did the artist think about this as a design or just a possible future for a made object? It reminds me of other artists like William Morris, who thought about wallpaper designs and the combination of art and life. Artists are always in conversation with one another, riffing off ideas and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, right? We can really see how painting opens itself up to so many different interpretations.