Traditionalist Still Life 1916

Iosif Iser made this still life painting with oil on canvas. See how the colours, mostly muted earthy tones, feel a bit like a memory or a dream? It’s kind of subdued but there is this nice tension between the objects depicted and the flat plane of the surface. I love how Iser builds up the texture. Look closely. The paint is thick in some areas, especially where the light hits the pottery and the book. The open book is a really interesting inclusion, isn't it? It has this kind of solidity of form, like the bowl or the jugs, but it's actually all about ephemerality. For me, this piece is like a cousin to the work of Giorgio Morandi, who was also using simple, everyday objects to find that little bit of magic. And Iser’s still life, with its quietness and stillness, reminds me that art doesn't always need to shout to be heard.