Schone Wienerin 1936

Ludwig Mestler made this tender drawing, "Schone Wienerin," with what looks like pencil and watercolor. It's all about a plant in a pot, and it's got this gentle, almost shy quality to it. I love how Mestler uses these soft, muted colors. The pinks in the flowers are so delicate. The way he layers the pencil and watercolor gives everything a kind of dreamy texture. The leaves on this thing almost look like fabric. And check out the pot – it’s got these subtle shifts in tone, from warm peach to cool gray, that make it feel super three-dimensional. It's like Mestler is saying something about growth and fragility all at once. It reminds me a little of some of Manet's flower paintings, where there's this quiet observation and a real love for the everyday. With this kind of art, there is no right way to interpret the piece.