Turks at the Cafe 1937

Iosif Iser made this painting, Turks at the Cafe, at some point in his life, probably with oil paint on canvas. The colours are muted, almost like a memory, and the brushstrokes are quick and loose. I get a feeling of watching a moment unfold. The physicality of the paint is really interesting here. It’s not about hiding the process. You can see how Iser layered the colours to build up the forms, like the way he used blues and grays to model the figures. Look at the table and the way he has played with the line, the surface is made of small marks that are layered to create a surface that feels solid but is still transparent. It is almost like you could wipe away the marks with your hand. This reminds me of some of Vuillard's interior scenes, where the everyday becomes something mysterious and beautiful. Ultimately, it’s about seeing how a painter translates their experience into something tangible, something we can all connect with. There is something melancholic about these men, they look lost in thought and the painting lets you stop and share that feeling.