168 John Street c. 1936

This small, undated watercolor of 168 John Street, was made by an anonymous artist. I’m drawn to the way the artist builds up the red of the facade, like a slow burn that starts in the pit of your stomach and rises up. Look how it’s not just flat, but textured with little strokes, like the building is breathing. The windows are these murky pools reflecting some unknown light. The odd perspective lends the building a sense of drama, and maybe a little melancholy. Notice the windows. They aren’t perfect, and some aren't even in a straight line. Maybe this was a conscious choice to capture the building's unique character, or maybe the artist just lost interest. I like how the artist hints at the world inside, but doesn’t give us too much, which reminds me a little of Edward Hopper. Ultimately it remains something of a mystery, which is the joy of looking at art, right?