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The Old Guitarist
This painting—done in Madrid—was completed after one of Picasso’s close friends committed suicide. Like other Picasso works during this time, the painting expresses sympathy “to the plight of the downtrodden” (pablopicasso.org). The dichromatic color scheme is emotionally and symbolically evocative; the figure’s misery is embodied by the predominant hue whereas the solace provided by music is showcased by the contrasting brown. -
The Kiss
With The Kiss, Klimt reaches the zenith “of his ‘Golden Period’, when he painted a number of works in a similar gilded style.” Despite its well-deserved acclaim, this was initially controversial due to its sensual subject matter. However, this is actually a work with a worthwhile feminist message as it “deviates from [Klimt’s] typical portrayal of woman as distant femme fatales” and instead presents “the female [as] the protagonist, rather than merely the object of desire” (klimt.com). -
American Gothic
Grant Wood, the artist responsible for this 1930 masterpiece, was known for his “antic sense of humor,” and this has caused scholars to speculate why he opted to have the male figure hold a hayfork instead of the rake found in the pre-painting sketch. The hayfork is clearly significant, as Wood chose "to reinforce it by repeating it in the stitching on the...figure's bib overalls." One suggestion is that the hayfork is “an allusion to a devil’s pitchfork” (americangothichouse.net). -
Early Sunday Morning
According to the Whitney Museum of American Art, Edward Hopper’s “contrasts of light and shadow, and the succession of verticals and horizontals create the charged, almost theatrical, atmosphere of empty buildings on an unpopulated street at the beginning of the day.” This painting is especially capable of engaging a viewer in Collingwood’s imaginative creation. One cannot help but imagine reasons for the desolation on display. -
Chrysler Building
For 11 months, architect William Van Alen’s Chrysler Building held the distinction of being the tallest building in the world; this honor was eventually taken by the Empire State Building. Regardless of its height, the Chrysler Building, is “[a] classic example of Art Deco architecture” and “is considered by many contemporary architects to be one of the finest buildings in the world” (jamesmaherphotography.com). -
The Persistence of Memory
The Persistence of Memory, Dali’s most famous painting, was inspired not by the theory of relatively, as some have guessed, but, rather, by “camembert cheese melting under the sun.” However, “[t]he general interpretation is that the painting…is a rejection of time as a solid and deterministic influence” (wikiart.com). -
Guernica
Perhaps his most well-known work, Picasso’s Guernica “is certainly his most powerful political statement, painted as an immediate reaction to the Nazi’s devastating casual bombing practice on the Basque town of Guernica during [the] Spanish Civil War” (pablopicasso.org). This work is emotionally rich despite its lack of color; aspects of the painting such as the chaotic geometry and the implied movement are emotionally resonant without the benefit of color. -
The Temptation of St. Anthony
This 1946 Dali work is rife with symbolic content. For instance, “temptation appears…in the form of a horse in the foreground representing strength, sometimes also the symbol of voluptuousness.” Moreover, “[i]n the background [an] elephant carries a tall tower which is not without phallic overtones and in the clouds on can glimpse a few fragments of the Escorial, symbol of temporal and spiritual order” (dalipaintings.com). -
The Plague
The Economist’s Prospero states that Camus’s 1947 novel was “[w]ritten as an allegory for life in occupied Paris…[and] acts as a guide to the victimhood and despondency of an uncontrollable crisis.” Moreover, The Guardian’s Ed Vulliamy asserts that "[o]f all Camus' novels, none described man's confrontation - and cohabitation - with death so vividly and on such an epic scale as La Peste, translated as The Plague." -
Christina's World
This Andrew Wyeth work is an example of “magic realism.” “In this style of painting…everyday scenes are imbued with poetic mystery” (moma.org). According to director Tobe Hooper, this painting holds the surprising distinction of being the biggest influence on his classic horror film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (iconsoffright.com). This painting is similar to Hopper’s Early Sunday Morning in facilitating imaginative creation; Hopper’s obviously engaged with this painting in this manner. -
1984
George Orwell’s 1984 is an essential read for anyone who wishes to be made aware of the insidious threat of propaganda and other forms of dishonest media that masquerade as truth. Michiko Kakutani notes in The New York Times that “’1984’ has found a nervous readership in today’s ‘post-truth’ era”; it is a depressing notion, but an easy case can be made that this novel is as timely now as it ever was. -
Study After Velazquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X
"In 1953, Bacon painted ‘Study after Velazquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X’. This painting, commonly referred to as 'The Screaming Pope', was based on Velazquez's 'Portrait of Pope Innocent X' of 1650 and is considered to be Francis Bacon’s masterpiece" (artyfactory.com). -
Coca Cola (3)
In 1962, Warhol painted a series of Coke bottle paintings, and according to art archivist and historian Ted Ryan, "It wasn't until [Warhol] did the series of Coke bottles and got...feedback...that he found his genre" (npr.org). Ryan also states, "The genius of...Warhol is that he took this ubiquitous shape known to everybody in the world and turned it into art" (coca-colacompany.com). -
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s nest is Ken Kesey’s masterpiece. This dramatically engaging novel introduced the world to the entertaining, rambunctious, anti-authoritarian Randle Patrick McMurphy—a character who serves to impart to the reader a number of truly important life lessons (i.e. maintain your individuality despite the societal demand for conformity). -
Drowning Girl
The pop art movement “focused on capturing images of the everyday,” and Roy Lichtenstein was especially capable in this regard. Drowning Girl is his best known work and, like most of his paintings, is taken directly from a comic book. “As Pablo Picasso said, ‘Good artists copy, great artists steal’” (sartle.com). -
The Problem We All Live With
The socially-conscious content of this 1963 painting sets it apart from the nostalgic works Rockwell is most famous for. While not the only such painting created by Rockwell, this work is arguably the most potent and famous. Minor controversy was caused when this painting was displayed in the White House during the Obama administration. Fortunately, the work was on display for months without incident and enjoyed the visibility this venue provided. -
Eight Elvises
According to totallyhistory.com, “Andy Warhol is generally regarded as the best pop artist of all time.” Similar to Warhol’s other works featuring popular culture icons, this work bears an image of Elvis, which is “reproduced eight times with an overlapping stance, creating the sensation of movement across the canvas.” Collingwood, who lauded the work of Cezanne for its ability to suggest movement, would certainly approve of this work. -
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
In his youth, entrepreneur Elon Musk turned to philosophical treatises by philosophers such as Nietzsche and Schopenhauer to find meaning. He was not satisfied with these works but kept looking. He eventually happened upon Douglas Adams's seminal 1979 novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. For Musk, the chief lesson contained within this magnificent work is expressed thusly: “If you can properly phrase the question, then the answer is the easy part” (businessinsider.com). -
Remain in Light
Talking Heads’ 1980 Remain in Light was a commercial disappointment when it was released. Fortunately, this masterpiece has since gained the wide audience and esteem it deserves. Michael Gallucci writes, “Remain in Light unfolds as a singular piece of pop music on an entirely different plain. No other record released in 1980 sounded like it; all these years later, artists are still trying to catch up” (ultimateclassicrock.com). -
Ok Computer
In his New York Times article “Before & After OK Computer: Listening to the Sound of Rock Being Deprogrammed,” Charles Arron writes, “Ultimately, [OK Computer] serves as Radiohead’s sturdiest argument for itself as one of rock’s most thoughtful and sonically compelling bands, a claim that critics and fans have made consistently since its release 20 years ago.”
