Lantern 1935 - 1942

E.J. Gilsleider's "Lantern" is a drawing of a lantern, of course, and like any great drawing, it's about so much more. It looks like graphite and watercolor, simple materials, handled with love. There's a tenderness in the way the light is described, using just a few strokes, a gentle gradation. The stars punched around the metal top and bottom seem almost touchable. I'm thinking about Morandi here, how he made poetry from humble objects. The colour palette is restrained, almost monochromatic. But look closer: the subtle shifts in tone create depth and volume. For me, drawing is about seeing, but more than that, it's about feeling. It's about taking time, slowing down, and really looking. And in this quiet drawing, I sense Gilsleider doing just that. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be loud or flashy, sometimes the simplest things are the most profound.