Lantern c. 1940

George H. Alexander made this watercolor of a lantern at some point during his long life. It’s pretty straightforward in its approach, a kind of faithful rendering. But look closer and you see that the muted palette of browns and beiges isn't just about copying what’s there. It's a choice, a mood, a quietness. The way he handles the metal edges, the way the light filters through the glass. It’s like he's painting the idea of a lantern, not just the object itself. I keep coming back to the top of the lantern, with its little dark holes. They are almost like a constellation, a tiny, contained night sky. Painting, like a lantern, is about letting light in, allowing us to see things in a new way. It's not about perfect representation, but about what emerges in the process. Think of Giorgio Morandi and you will understand the quiet magic of this painting.