Small, Four-Legged, Rectangular-Topped End Table c. 1962

Curator: Here we have George Nakashima’s "Small, Four-Legged, Rectangular-Topped End Table," currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels like a poem—a haiku in wood. Simple, but resonant. There’s a quiet strength to its form. Curator: Note how the rectilinear plane of the tabletop contrasts with the organic roundness of the legs. This duality is essential to its aesthetic. Editor: It's almost as if the table is bowing slightly, showing respect for its materials. Or maybe I just want a cup of tea. Curator: The intentional use of visible joinery, revealing rather than concealing construction, disrupts the notion of pure form. Editor: Exactly—it doesn't hide anything. It says, "I am wood, shaped, but still wood.” Curator: Well, I appreciate how Nakashima unites craftsmanship with an almost philosophical engagement with material. Editor: It's a humble object, but it whispers stories, doesn’t it? I quite like its tone.