Vincent Van Gogh painted a number of portraits throughout his artistic career, but this 1889 version, painted only months before his death, is one of the greatest. The undulating background, contrasted with the fixed, rigid expression on Van Gogh’s face, provides a fascinating contradiction. In this article, Singulart examines the life of Van Gogh, his passion for painting self-portraits, and…
Artworks under the lens
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The Triumph of Galatea is a fresco by renaissance artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, also known as Raphael. It depicts the character of Galatea, who appears in Greek mythology as a sea-nymph in love with a mortal. Raphael has immortalized the moment of Galatea’s apotheosis, when she becomes a being of the most divine level. The fresco is a testament…
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Sleeping Venus is a sensual, sumptuous artwork that is attributed both to Venetian artist Titian and his teacher, Giorgione. One of the first full-length female nudes ever painted in Venice, this portrayal of Venus has been called one of the most beautiful reclining nudes in existence. In this article, Singulart explores the art trope of the reclining nude, explains why…
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The Starry Night is considered to be Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece, painted while he was a patient in a mental asylum at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The swirling composition of the sky and the melancholic blue color palette, coupled with Van Gogh’s tragic history, have caused the artwork to become one of the most recognizable paintings of all time. There is so much…
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Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein’s Brushstrokes series was a subversive, sly nod at the abstract expressionism movement, as well as a tribute to artists such as Jackson Pollock. The first piece of the series, Brushstrokes, took its inspiration from a panel in a comic book, like many of Lichtenstein’s artworks. Lichtenstein explained, “You think it’s a picture of a brush stroke.…
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Abstract artist Piet Mondrian didn’t visit New York until he was 68 years old, but his love for the city infused his art with new life and took it beyond the simplistic lines and forms of his previous compositions. Broadway Boogie Woogie may adhere to the primary colors and rectangular shapes that Mondrian is known for, but the fast-paced, exciting…
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The Old Guitarist is one of the most haunting pieces created during Pablo Picasso’s blue period. Depicting a haggard, blind guitar player, the piece encompasses Picasso’s fascination with the societal outcasts he saw when traveling through Spain. Picasso’s blue period was heralded as a turning point in his career, demonstrating his capability of capturing raw emotion and preserving it on…
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La Parisienne is an 1874 portrait by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Although it may appear to be a rather traditional portrait, featuring actress Henriette Henriot, it was in fact a nod to the burgeoning modernity of Paris’s cultural scene. Critics praised Renoir for his technical detail, particularly in Henriot’s dress. Singulart explores the reaction to La Parisienne, as well as the artwork’s…
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Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird is among Frida Kahlo’s most celebrated self-portraits. Kahlo was well known for the autobiographical elements in her work, and Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird is rich with symbols from her Mexican heritage. Singulart reveals the symbolism portrayed in this iconic work, as well as exploring Kahlo’s self portraits and how her…
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The Water Lily Pond is part of Claude Monet’s much loved Water Lilies series. Painted over a thirty year period, The Water Lily Pond features the idyllic Giverny countryside that inspired Monet to paint up until just before his death, even when both his eyes were severely affected by cataracts. The series encapsulates the open air environment that Monet made…
