National Railway Station Restaurant, Vienna X, Josef Pohl (Restaurant Staatsbahnhof, Wien X, Josef Pohl) 1911

Gustav Kalhammer made this print of the National Railway Station Restaurant in Vienna, and you know, I just love the feeling of a specific place, it's like he captured a mood in ink on this little sheet. It’s so small, like a glimpse through a keyhole. Imagine him, maybe a bit of a hurry, quickly sketching and dabbing colors onto the paper. I see him trying to get the light just right and the coziness of the red benches, everything in this place. What was he thinking as he rendered the hanging decorations and light fixtures? Look at that little bird suspended above the tables. It's a surreal detail that animates the scene, but also sort of anchors it. Maybe he saw it as a symbol of freedom amidst the daily grind, or perhaps it was just a charming detail he couldn't resist adding. It certainly makes me feel something when I look at it. That little bird is a bit like the conversations we have in painting. The surrealists would have loved this. It reminds me of a Magritte painting, with a little bit of Philip Guston thrown in. We’re always inspired by each other, aren’t we?