Waiting Room in Ouchy 1943

Varlin made this painting, "Waiting Room in Ouchy," sometime in the 20th century, probably in oil on canvas. Just look at the way the paint is applied! It's so loaded, like he's digging into the scene. The palette is mostly muted—creams, grays, blacks—but then there are these jabs of red that almost vibrate against the coolness. I can imagine Varlin standing there, maybe a little impatient himself, capturing the essence of this space—the dullness, the waiting, but also the subtle drama of human presence. The figure in the foreground is so commanding, yet the quick, blocky strokes almost dissolve him. The way the light fixture looms overhead, like some kind of strange, watchful eye. Varlin is in conversation with other painters, but he is also just capturing the feeling of the scene. It feels like an embrace of ambiguity.