Looking Glass with Decorated Glass Panel c. 1939

Editor: We're looking at "Looking Glass with Decorated Glass Panel," a watercolor piece made around 1939 by Carl Strehlau. The way the floral arrangement is perched above the clouded mirror feels so intentional, like a secret garden guarding something hidden. What do you make of the composition? Curator: The initial contrast lies in the clear articulation of forms in the floral panel against the blurred and seemingly indistinct mirror. Notice how Strehlau utilizes a rigid, almost geometric frame, creating a boundary, a stage, if you will, for these contrasting elements. Editor: I see it now. It’s like two distinct artworks stacked together, divided by that ornate frame. Is the mirror simply a void, or is it playing with perception? Curator: Precisely! Is the mirror simply functional, reflecting the viewer and the space, or is its abstraction an invitation to perceive a world beyond clear representation? Observe the calculated distribution of color – the warmth of the florals held against the cooler tones of the mirror. It suggests a dichotomy, perhaps between artifice and reality. Editor: So the floral panel with its defined shapes, contrasts against the suggestive quality of the mirror… Does that say something about its function as a mirror, rather than artwork? Curator: It directs us to ponder on its functionality, the work investigates formal structure and invites speculation on perception. Would you agree the blurring contributes to a separation? Editor: Yes, now I see the mirroring surface provides something deeper. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. A productive exercise in formal analysis – one which I trust you will extend beyond this gallery.