The Potato Eaters is considered to be Vincent Van Gogh’s first significant artwork and his earliest masterpiece. It is the culmination of months of study by Van Gogh, observing working class families and their traditions, and creating hundreds of sketches until he settled on the scene depicted in The Potato Eaters. Van Gogh would later write, “I am plowing on…
Artworks under the lens
-
-
Riding with Death is one of the last paintings Jean Michel Basquiat painted before his death in 1988. This fact, coupled with its disturbing imagery suggests it represents his opinion on the state of the world. In this article, Singulart takes a closer look at Basquiat’s life, career, and the meaning behind Riding with Death. Who was Jean Michel Basquiat?…
-
Hieronymous Bosch’s Triptych of the Temptation of St. Anthony exemplifies his unique painting style that was characterized by rich symbolism and apocalyptic imagery depicting hell and unimaginable horrors. His grotesque, pessimistic, fantastic style had a far reaching influence on painters into the 20th century and greatly influenced the course of art history. In this article, Singulart takes a closer look…
-
The Large Bathers is an example of Renoir’s experimentation combining a classic painting style with the newer style of the impressionists. Depicting three nude bathers frolicking at the water’s edge, the piece took Renoir three years to complete. In this article, Singulart explores the creative process behind The Large Bathers, as well as examines the symbolism of nude bathers to…
-
Henri Matisse’s Bathers by a River marks a moment of stylistic transition and demonstrates his exploration of Cubism. In this article, Singulart discusses Bathers by a River in the context of Matisse’s life and the development of his style. Who was Henri Matisse? Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was a French artist, renowned as a draftsman, printmaker, sculptor and painter. Matisse was…
-
The School of Athens is a fresco by Renaissance artist Raffaello Sanzio (Raphael), representing the greatest intellectual figures of the time. It is one of the four frescoes commissioned by Pope Julius II and is still on display in its original place of creation in Vatican City. The School of Athens is believed to be Raphael’s masterpiece, demonstrating the pinnacle…
-
Marc Chagall’s I and the Village is one of his earliest surviving works and demonstrates many of the key qualities for which his paintings are known. In this article, Singulart discusses the life and style of Marc Chagall, in addition to the meaning behind I and the Village. Who was Marc Chagall? Marc Chagall (1887-1985) was a Russian-French artist and…
-
Gray Tree is an early artwork by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian. The stark, monochromatic piece is almost unrecognizable as a Mondrian artwork; it certainly does not encapsulate the bold lines and primary colors that became his legacy. However, Gray Tree shows us Mondrian’s early experiments with cubism. In this article, Singulart looks at Mondrian’s brief but influential dalliance with cubism,…
-
Look Mickey signifies a turning point in Roy Lichtenstein’s career as a pop artist. It closed the gap between his abstract expressionism work and the beginning of his work in pop art, and was praised by critics for its humor and irreverence. It is the first piece in which Lichtenstein used many of his trademark elements, such as Ben Day…
-
Woman in a Purple Coat exemplifies Matisse’s mature style, characterized by its decorative, fluid, colorful aesthetic. It depicts his assistant Lydia Delectorskaya, who helped him in the last years of his life and was essential to the creation of his last masterpieces. In this article, Singulart takes a closer look at their relationship and at Matisse’s signature style in Woman…
