Peter BLAKE - On the balcony (1955-1957)

 

On the balcony

1955-1957
Oil painting on canvas (121x91 cm)
Tate Gallery, London

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The figures sitting on a park bench are surrounded by four paintings by some of Blake's companions and various commercial objects, including packets of cigarettes, newspapers and food packages.

The structure of the painting is very simple and the attention to perspective is somewhat lacking; the real interest is to be found in the attention to the representation of the objects, which are the most important elements of the composition.

At the time of its creation it was considered Blake's masterpiece for its strong visual impact and now communicates the full sense of cultural growth in the 1950s, putting the observer in front of a messy crowd of popular images.

This representation of commercial objects paved the way for another great artistic movement: Pop Art.

In the 1970s, Blake moved towards a more naturalistic style and by 1975 he also became a founding member of the Brotherhood of Ruralists, whose ideal was to work in community in the open countryside.

Comparing artists: Hamilton, Hockney, Jones, Rauschenberg, Schwitters