Whitehall Estate and Garden c. 1936

Leo Drozdoff rendered "Whitehall Estate and Garden" in watercolor, offering a glimpse into the life and social structures of the past. Drozdoff, born in Russia, brings a displaced perspective to this depiction of landed gentry, perhaps colored by his own experience of social upheaval during a time of revolution. The estate, with its geometric gardens and orderly rows, reflects a desire for control over nature and, by extension, society. However, this vision of control reveals a rigid social hierarchy where some individuals maintain the garden and others stroll through it. The high walls, while keeping danger away from the estate, also hint at the social segregation that defines class boundaries. As you look at the composition, consider the artist’s possible commentary on the exclusivity and constructed nature of wealth and privilege.