17163 („Nur die Liebesphantasie …“) 1932

John Elsas made this little gem, 17163, with ink and watercolour on paper. The palette is limited to muted gold, gray, and blue. The scene is a dreamy encounter between two fairy-like figures who appear to be floating towards one another. The artist has worked fast and intuitively with the wet medium. A delicate wash of diluted ink brings the figures to life. Each brushstroke feels purposeful and alive. The lines suggest movement and lightness, capturing a sense of fleeting, ethereal beauty. The inscription gives us a clue. Maybe the artist felt love was more imaginative than real life, with his pen acting as a portal between the seen and unseen worlds. The paper support feels like a blank canvas. I like to think of artists as being in an ongoing exchange of ideas, inspiring each other’s creativity across time. Every artwork is a part of this big conversation.