Traditionalist Still Life 1916

Iosif Iser created this ‘Traditionalist Still Life’ with oil paint, crafting a world of objects on canvas. I like to imagine him building the composition one layer at a time, starting with the deep reds and greens of the patterned cloth. The forms are rendered with confident brushstrokes, and you can see the presence of the hand in the making of the objects. I sympathize with Iser setting up this scene, positioning each object, and trying to get the light just right. There is an intriguing juxtaposition of domestic objects—pitchers, a bowl, wooden spoons, and a book left open. It’s as if he’s inviting us into a quiet, intimate moment. The off-whites and ochres create a warm, muted harmony. The textures vary from the smooth surfaces of the pitchers to the rougher strokes defining the book. It reminds me that artists are always talking to each other across time through the language of painting and composition. Painting is such an embodied form of expression and embraces ambiguity, and in this still life the multiple interpretations are what makes the work come alive.