Join us as we take a close look (and we mean a very close look) at Wharton Esherick’s 1927 Drop Leaf Desk. This January, our staff will be doing a practice run of dismantling this iconic piece before sending it out for The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick exhibition at the Brandywine Museum of Art this fall. Taking a piece of furniture apart never fails to breathe new life into it and our understanding of its creation – and its maker. In our talk, we’ll explore our findings from this deep dive as well as the conservation and cleaning needed to prepare the desk to travel. We’re excited to learn what stories this piece has to tell!

Esherick’s Drop Leaf Desk is one of the artist’s earliest pieces of large scale furniture, and one of the last that features intricate surface carvings. With this surface carving, the piece exhibits a fascinating link to Esherick’s practice of carving and printing woodblocks, and echoes its intended use by Esherick to store materials such as woodblocks, paper, and prints.

This is a free online event; advance reservations are required. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the conversation. Please register below to receive instructions on how to join us! If able, please consider a $5 donation to support our ongoing programs. Donate HERE.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Image: Drop Leaf Desk, 1927, Wharton Esherick. Photo by Eoin O’Neill.