Tatar Family 1920

Iosif Iser’s painting depicts a Tatar Family with thick, visible brushstrokes and a warm, earthy palette punctuated by blues and pinks. I can imagine him making this painting. Was he trying to evoke a sense of place, the feeling of sun-baked earth and the closeness of family? He paints with such honesty, Iser shows us a glimpse of daily life, and I think about his intention. He is probably thinking about all the paintings being made in France at that time, and then he looks around at his world, and uses the lessons of painting to record what he sees! The texture of the paint is key, giving the scene a tangible, almost sculptural quality, right? Look at the way he layers color to build up the form of the figures, each stroke feels deliberate, contributing to the overall emotional resonance. It’s like he’s saying, "This is my world, these are my people, and this is how I see them." And in that act of seeing, he invites us to see too. It’s a beautiful conversation across time, isn’t it?