Albert Gold, Dozing

Albert Gold’s predilection for scenes from everyday life led him to depict ordinary Americans in all aspects of their existence. Here a mustachioed man in a three-piece suit sleeps on the steps of a building, clutching what might be a stack of papers or a white cloth. The man’s tousled hair and slouched posture makes him a believable figure. His circumstances are uncertain: is he unwell, down-and-out, or simply taking a nap? Gold originally rendered this scene as a drypoint, focusing solely on the dozing man.