Blue Circle 1961

Michael Rothenstein made this print, "Blue Circle," sometime in the second half of the 20th century. It's an image that reflects the artist's interest in rural landscapes and everyday objects. The print’s visual language can be understood through the lens of British Neo-Romanticism and Pop Art - two powerful artistic movements at the time. Rothenstein was interested in the intersection of the rural and the urban, and he often depicted ordinary objects and scenes in his work. This aligns with the Pop Art interest in popular culture and mass production, while the abstract style has roots in Romanticism and Surrealism. This print is reminiscent of British landscapes, but it also subverts those associations with its flat perspective and bold colours. To further understand Rothenstein's work, it would be valuable to research the artistic communities and institutions he was involved with, as well as the social and cultural context in which he was working.