Assignation 1981

Bo Bartlett’s painting, Assignation, is an unsettling scene rendered with a smooth, almost cinematic realism. Look at the way Bartlett manipulates light and shadow, creating a chiaroscuro effect that heightens the drama. There's a stark contrast between the illuminated figures and the deep shadows, which gives the painting a theatrical quality, almost like a stage set. The overturned stool is a masterstroke. It introduces a discordant note, suggesting disruption or unease, which is echoed by the woman’s languid pose in the pink chair. It’s this detail that really gets under my skin, hinting at a story that’s both intimate and inscrutable. Bartlett’s work reminds me a bit of Alex Katz, in that both artists capture a certain American sensibility with a detached, almost voyeuristic gaze. But where Katz is cool and slick, Bartlett is more emotionally charged, and perhaps even a little gothic.