Drinking 1923

Eugeniusz Zak made this painting, titled 'Drinking', with oil on canvas. Look at how Zak placed his figure, and how they barely fit into the frame. I can imagine him, brush in hand, trying to work out how to bring the figure, the table, the drink, and the dark background all together to create something that holds the viewer's gaze. It’s like he’s thinking, “How can I make this figure monumental? What pose can I use to make the subject fill the entire canvas? How can I use my brush to really bring this person to life?" The figure’s red top pops against the darker, muddier tones of the background. You can imagine Zak thinking about the long history of portraiture. Each brushstroke is another step in an ongoing visual conversation that stretches back centuries, each artist building on the work of those who came before.