Street in Tiberias 1925

Jakob Nussbaum made this watercolor, Street in Tiberias, probably in the early 20th century. The blues and purples are cool, and the loose strokes give a dreamlike feel. I imagine Nussbaum standing there, trying to catch the feeling of the place. The people are just suggestions of forms, not really there, but you get the sense of a busy marketplace. It's not about details, but about capturing an impression, like a half-remembered scene. Look how the washes of color bleed together. Nussbaum lets the watercolor do its thing, embracing the happy accidents. It reminds me of some of the early expressionists who were also interested in capturing the raw, emotional experience of being in a particular place. There's something honest about it. Like he is saying, “This is what I saw, this is what I felt, take it or leave it.” Artists are always in conversation with each other, riffing off ideas and approaches across time.