Ornamental Iron c. 1936

Gilbert Sackerman made "Ornamental Iron", using watercolor, at some point during his long life, which stretched almost a century. The palette is so interesting; restrained, almost faded, as if time itself is acting as a filter. Look at the way Sackerman layers these washes, one on top of another. The ironwork takes shape as a process, almost like drawing with water. It's like he's building the image from the ground up, or letting it emerge from the paper itself. I especially love how the detail of the ironwork contrasts with the soft blur of the greenery. The way the light hits the steps, it's all so carefully observed, but also, somehow dreamlike. It reminds me a little of Edward Hopper, in the way it captures a certain quiet, architectural mood. It feels like a conversation across time, a dialogue between different ways of seeing and representing the world.