Brandy at Lutece 1974

LeRoy Neiman made this sketch of Brandy at Lutece with, I’m guessing, a felt tip pen. He goes right in there, capturing a fleeting moment with this spontaneous, energetic line work. I can almost imagine him, quickly filling the page with his observations. It's like a snapshot of a night out, capturing the essence of a scene, the clinking of glasses, the murmur of conversation. Look at how he suggests the figures with just a few strokes, conveying their posture and mood. The woman is leaning forward, pensive, while the man is in the background, a cigar in his mouth, perhaps distracted. I wonder if the painting has captured something about the spirit of its time, like those artists from the past who sketched in bars? It’s so immediate and direct, and that’s what makes it feel so alive and fresh, even now.