Lantern c. 1938

Walter Hochstrasser made this painting of a lantern, we don't know exactly when, and it's just great! The colors feel muted and gentle, like the kind of light a lantern throws—warm, soft, a little hazy. It really makes you think about the way color can create a mood. Look at how Hochstrasser handles the paint, how the surface isn't trying to trick you into thinking this *is* a lantern, but at the same time, there's a real sense of weight and form. The layering and blending of colors, particularly on the sides of the lantern, feels really intentional, not overworked. I’m drawn to the top part, with those little stars punched into the metal. It's such a small detail, but it adds so much character. It makes me think of other artists who took ordinary objects and turned them into something special. Like Morandi's bottles, maybe, or the quiet dignity in a Chardin still life. It all feels connected, this conversation that artists have across time.