Lot Essay
In the late 1970s, Susan Rothenberg established herself as a New Image painter who had been instrumental in reintroducing figurative imagery into avant-garde painting in New York.
The years of 1984-1985 proved to be a pivotal time in Rothenberg's artistic development. During a drawing session in 1984, an image of the abstract painter Piet Mondrian emerged from a random drawing of an unidentified figure, and the image was so provocative that an entire series of paintings of Mondrian ensued, including Untitled, Mondrian and ING-Spray, all painted in 1984.
It is clearly represented that Rothenberg's work falls naturally into series, however she allows herself a certain amount of freedom in the challenge to project clear and varied emotion in her work. Red Blush, 1984-1985 is the only directly autobiographical painting from this period. The painting represents Rothenberg in an intimate setting, depicting a moment in time when she learned the challenge of a love affair. During this period, she switched her medium from acrylic to oil. The surface of the oil creates a voluptuous plane reflective of the seductive subject matter. Confined in a field of flickering light, the subtle red glow seems to penetrate the standing Rothenberg, extending from the body and spirit of her seated lover's hand. This caressing glow, fostered by the release of the subjects' passion, combined with the "blush" of their first, intimate touch, shadows the embrace while conveying discretion and eluding to the situation's delicacy.
The years of 1984-1985 proved to be a pivotal time in Rothenberg's artistic development. During a drawing session in 1984, an image of the abstract painter Piet Mondrian emerged from a random drawing of an unidentified figure, and the image was so provocative that an entire series of paintings of Mondrian ensued, including Untitled, Mondrian and ING-Spray, all painted in 1984.
It is clearly represented that Rothenberg's work falls naturally into series, however she allows herself a certain amount of freedom in the challenge to project clear and varied emotion in her work. Red Blush, 1984-1985 is the only directly autobiographical painting from this period. The painting represents Rothenberg in an intimate setting, depicting a moment in time when she learned the challenge of a love affair. During this period, she switched her medium from acrylic to oil. The surface of the oil creates a voluptuous plane reflective of the seductive subject matter. Confined in a field of flickering light, the subtle red glow seems to penetrate the standing Rothenberg, extending from the body and spirit of her seated lover's hand. This caressing glow, fostered by the release of the subjects' passion, combined with the "blush" of their first, intimate touch, shadows the embrace while conveying discretion and eluding to the situation's delicacy.