Lorgnette c. 1937

Isidore Steinberg made 'Lorgnette' with paint on paper. Looking at the detail, I think he worked, and reworked, pushing and pulling the image into being. The spectacles are painted in thin washes of gold. Each line and detail seems considered, precise. Around them, other versions are lightly sketched, so it's like the image is shimmering, echoing itsel. I imagine him, head bent in concentration, holding his breath as he paints the small, refined details. I can relate to this; how painting is about looking, and looking again. It’s a slow build-up, a conversation with the image as it takes form. The light washes here feel intimate. They’re not shouting, they’re suggesting. For me, what's exciting is how one painter can look at another's practice, and learn, connect, and maybe, start a whole new conversation with their own work. It's an evolution.