Dressing Glass c. 1936

This "Dressing Glass" was made with what looks like watercolor on paper by Lorenz Rothkranz. The colors are muted, earthy tones, like browns and tans, giving it a vintage feel, like something you’d find in your grandma’s attic. Looking at the rendering, you can see how the artist took such care in the details of the wood grain. The lines are delicate, almost tentative, but they build up to create a sense of depth and texture. It makes me think about the time and patience required to create such a precise image, the way each mark contributes to the whole. The symmetry of the piece is so satisfying, with the mirror framed by two little cabinets. It’s like Rothkranz is showing us how even functional objects can be beautiful. Rothkranz was a contemporary of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and I can see similarities in their attention to detail and love of organic forms. But where Mackintosh is all about clean lines, Rothkranz is a bit more rustic, a bit more human. It’s like he’s saying, "Beauty can be found in the everyday, even in something as simple as a dressing table."