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Lot Essay
"I get so identified when I paint them, when they go home I feel frightful. I have no self- I've gone into this other person." Alice Neel
Alice Neel’s desire to really connect with people was what set her art apart from other artists of the time. In the 1960s, Neel created portraits that explored the psychological truths of her sit ins, much more interested in portraying the personalities and experiences of her them rather than the superficial beauty. From well-known artists and curators such as Andy Warhol and Frank O’Hara, to strangers who commissioned portraits such as Rachel Zurer, painted in 1961-1962, Neel was able to portray who these people were and the connection they had.
The slight smile on Rachel’s face adds a sense of calm and serenity to the work. Looking into her eyes, she seems familiar and comfortable. She does not look like she is forced to be there, rather enjoying her time and her conversation with Neel as she paints her aura into existence. Sitting up straight in a purple-toned chair, the black outline of Rachel’s body keeps her from disappearing into the gesturally painted background. Her short-sleeved black, yellow and red patterned dress provides a burst of color that adds energy to the painting, while revealing her pale, soft arms. The warm tones of her flesh are reflected in the surrounding space, furthering this sense of peace and quiet. Neel’s use of color is never arbitrary: each hue is carefully chosen to convey a particular emotion or mood. Although Rachel is just an acquaintance to Neel, she is able to paint her in a way that feels like they have known each other for a lifetime. There is no feeling of awkwardness or discomfort, and Neels’ ability to portray this makes her work so unique.
"My choices were perhaps not always conscious, but I have felt people’s images reflect the era in a way nothing else could. When portraits are good art they reflect the culture, the time and many other things." (A. Neel, quoted in J. Lewison, Alice Neel: Painter of Modern Life, Mercatorfonds, Brussels, 2016).
As society naturally progresses and changes, so does Neel’s work. It is important to that her paintings are able to truthfully portray the world her sit ins live in, creating paintings that “reflect changes in fashion, in attitudes to gender and race, in make-up or lack of it” (ibid, pg. 12). Honesty is at the core of her work, and that’s is what makes it so beautiful, both visually and symbolically.
Neel's portraits in the 1960s had a significant impact on the art world, both at the time and in the years since. Her work challenged the conventions of portraiture, both in terms of subject matter and technique. Neel was known for her use of bold, sometimes clashing colors, as well as her loose, expressive brushstrokes. These techniques helped to convey a sense of vitality and energy, as well as an emotional intensity that is often lacking in more traditional portraiture. Works such as Rachel Zurer were characterized by their emotional depth and their ability to capture the inner lives of her subjects.
Alice Neel’s desire to really connect with people was what set her art apart from other artists of the time. In the 1960s, Neel created portraits that explored the psychological truths of her sit ins, much more interested in portraying the personalities and experiences of her them rather than the superficial beauty. From well-known artists and curators such as Andy Warhol and Frank O’Hara, to strangers who commissioned portraits such as Rachel Zurer, painted in 1961-1962, Neel was able to portray who these people were and the connection they had.
The slight smile on Rachel’s face adds a sense of calm and serenity to the work. Looking into her eyes, she seems familiar and comfortable. She does not look like she is forced to be there, rather enjoying her time and her conversation with Neel as she paints her aura into existence. Sitting up straight in a purple-toned chair, the black outline of Rachel’s body keeps her from disappearing into the gesturally painted background. Her short-sleeved black, yellow and red patterned dress provides a burst of color that adds energy to the painting, while revealing her pale, soft arms. The warm tones of her flesh are reflected in the surrounding space, furthering this sense of peace and quiet. Neel’s use of color is never arbitrary: each hue is carefully chosen to convey a particular emotion or mood. Although Rachel is just an acquaintance to Neel, she is able to paint her in a way that feels like they have known each other for a lifetime. There is no feeling of awkwardness or discomfort, and Neels’ ability to portray this makes her work so unique.
"My choices were perhaps not always conscious, but I have felt people’s images reflect the era in a way nothing else could. When portraits are good art they reflect the culture, the time and many other things." (A. Neel, quoted in J. Lewison, Alice Neel: Painter of Modern Life, Mercatorfonds, Brussels, 2016).
As society naturally progresses and changes, so does Neel’s work. It is important to that her paintings are able to truthfully portray the world her sit ins live in, creating paintings that “reflect changes in fashion, in attitudes to gender and race, in make-up or lack of it” (ibid, pg. 12). Honesty is at the core of her work, and that’s is what makes it so beautiful, both visually and symbolically.
Neel's portraits in the 1960s had a significant impact on the art world, both at the time and in the years since. Her work challenged the conventions of portraiture, both in terms of subject matter and technique. Neel was known for her use of bold, sometimes clashing colors, as well as her loose, expressive brushstrokes. These techniques helped to convey a sense of vitality and energy, as well as an emotional intensity that is often lacking in more traditional portraiture. Works such as Rachel Zurer were characterized by their emotional depth and their ability to capture the inner lives of her subjects.