November, Long Shadows 1985

Saul Steinberg made this drawing, November, Long Shadows, using colored pencil, sometime in his lifetime. The lines are a bit scratchy and searching, like he’s trying to figure out what he’s seeing as he’s drawing it. Look at the way he renders the shadows with these long, flat planes of color. The colors are muted, but they create a real sense of depth and atmosphere. It’s like he’s flattening the space but also building it up at the same time. The surface of the paper is so present too, you can see every mark, every decision. And then, the face in the background! It’s so unexpected. Like some ancient god watching over the landscape. I’m reminded of Philip Guston. Both artists embrace a kind of raw, unrefined approach to mark-making, inviting a sense of playfulness into their work and a celebration of ambiguity.