Man en vrouw aan tafel in een restaurant 1913 - 1970

Here’s Hans Borrebach's black and white drawing of a couple at a restaurant. It has a kind of old-fashioned glamour, a 1940s movie feel. I wonder if Borrebach had a photographic source to work from, or if he’s composing this scene from his imagination? The black and white adds to the sense of mystery and narrative, like a still from a film. I love the man’s confident smile. The brushstrokes are careful and precise, creating clear and distinct forms. The lines are soft and smudgy in places, especially in the background and around the edges of the figures. The attention to detail in the setting—the lighting, the flowers, and the table setting—adds to the overall atmosphere of sophistication. You know it makes me think about Edward Hopper, another artist who has captured the feel of mid-century America. Artists are constantly inspired by each other’s work across time, and it is interesting to see how Borrebach builds on Hopper’s themes in his own way.