Chaim Soutine

Another major influence for this project is the work of Chaim Soutine; a Russian-French expressionist painter whose most important paintings were made after World War 1. Similarly to many other artists that I have studied, Soutine creates has his own personal, distinctive style- creating a sort personality for each piece. What struck me most about his work, is not only the abstract, deformed appearance of these portraits- but the vibrancy of colour that he uses in his work.

However, despite these paintings being so vibrant in their colour, this is is completely juxtaposed in their ghosty appearance. Possibly it's the texture that Soutine adds to these portraits- sort of creating the illusion that these people are sort of hovering in front of us. If i could imagine a ghost, i would imagine it like this.They are almost cartoon-like- with these accentuated features, huge ear, wide eyes, long faces.

Soutine is hailed as an expressionist, and I don't think that he is interested in trying to recreate an objective 'real' world. His paintings are highly subjective, driven by powerful emotions. These paintings are insight inside his head- not so much it looks like, but more what people and urban landscapes feel like. 

Here are some of my most favourited pieces by Soutin.

This is one of my most favourited pieces of Soutine's titled 'Bell Boy' painted in 1893- 1943. Soutine uses such a powerful intensity of vibrant red, which is contrasted  against the black background- really emphasising the Bell Boy in the centre. Turned this bell boy into something of a glamorous nature- bursting with this red vibrancy- looks like a prince. 

I can really imagine this boy sitting down like this, waiting for someones luggage to take. 

-misphaped body- looks like a characterure