Old Man Sitting At Table, Shown From Behind 1908

In 1903, Albrecht Anker painted an old man at a table, using what looks like watercolour and maybe some gouache on paper. I love the colour; that muted, yellowy beige on the man’s coat and how it contrasts with the red liquid in his glass. I wonder what Anker was thinking when he painted this scene. Was he interested in this guy's solitude, maybe even his loneliness? Look at the man's posture: he's turned away from us, and his head is slightly bowed, as if lost in thought. He holds a glass of what I can only assume is red wine. Is it half-full or half-empty? The way Anker handles the paint is interesting, too. It's thin and translucent, and the paper peeks through in places, creating a sense of light and air. What might happen if I tried to copy the method in my studio? Sometimes, it is only by making that we understand. Anker's painting invites us to slow down, to contemplate the simple beauty of everyday life, and maybe raise a glass to the quiet moments that make it all worthwhile.