Do you have any personal favourites, or at least ‘strong likes’, from among an artist’s work where its style, or theme, is way outside of what he/she is celebrated for?
As an example, I think you’d agree that Mondrian is most famous for his Broadway Boogie Woogie type pieces where straight lines and rectangles predominate. On the other hand, he produced some terrific stuff that you’d be hard pressed to know came from him (this is just to illustrate what I’m getting at with my OP - the linked piece is definitely not my favourite Mondrian, although it is pretty impressive).
So, now that you know what I’m talking about, here are some cases where I really, really like a piece by an artist but, in terms of what he’s most well known for, it doesn’t look like him at all (at least in my artistically naïve opinion).
Klimt - The Old Burgtheatre. I think this is a fabulous piece and, although my eyes aren’t what they used to be, I can still study what are essentially dozens of exquisite portraits, with each sitter (or ‘stander’!) in his own private theatre. And, of course, it does not resemble what most people are likely to think of when they think of Klimt - his visions of Adele Bloch-Bauer in any of her incarnations.
Ever since I first saw it as a boy, I have adored Escher’s Fluorescent Sea. I return to it again and again. Still, I don’t think any of you would argue that Fluorescent Sea represents ‘The Escher’ that has become almost larger-than-life in recent decades for works such as this, this, or this.
And, among the works of the somewhat less well known John Singer Sargent, celebrated for, and master of, portraits (especially of women and girls), I think this watercolor, with not a soul in sight, is the one I’d call my favourite. I am always amazed how he conveys so much with so few brushstrokes.
Do you have any favourite works that fit this bill? I’m all ears, er, eyes.
