Nocturne 1939

Isac Friedlander made this print, Nocturne, in 1939. Look at how the blocks of black ink create such strong contrasts, carving out the figure and the landscape around him. I can almost feel the artist at work, pushing into the surface to reveal the details of the man’s jacket and the way the light catches on the advertising sign behind. What could he have been thinking when he made this, watching the man slumped on the bench, trying to find some rest from the day? Did Friedlander feel sympathy for this figure? There’s an openness here, even in the darkness, a kind of quiet contemplation. It reminds me of other artists who have turned to the world around them for inspiration. Each mark communicates something of the artist's feeling and intention, building a connection between Friedlander and his subject, a quiet conversation between observation and expression.