Card Table c. 1939

Leo Drozdoff’s Card Table is rendered in watercolor, a humble, yet highly skilled, act of draftsmanship. I’m always drawn to the challenge of portraying everyday objects. Maybe Drozdoff felt that way too. I can imagine him, deeply focused, trying to capture the essence of this piece of furniture. It’s really about how the light falls on the surface of the wood. The warm mahogany hues and the delicate details are carefully observed. The legs of the table are particularly compelling, these slender, elegant forms, that have a kind of musicality, and rhythm. You could almost play them like a xylophone! I love the way the artist has captured the smooth, polished surface of the wood. It's almost as if Drozdoff invites us to sit down, shuffle a deck, and perhaps enter into a game of chance. This is not just a painting of a table; it's a painting of an invitation.