Candlelight Dinner with Redhead 1965

LeRoy Neiman's painting presents a scene dominated by the symbols of bourgeois pleasure: fine dining, wine, and companionship. But it's the candle that draws our eye; a single flame flickering between the figures. Consider the candle, a motif as old as art itself. From ancient Roman frescoes to Dutch still lifes, it has symbolized not only light but life itself. The Greeks and Romans believed that each person had a 'life candle' that determined how long they would live. The candle’s wax melts, and in Neiman’s painting, it is more than just a source of illumination. Its presence evokes a sense of transient beauty, of the fleeting nature of moments like these. Here, the flame dances, casting shadows that remind us of the shadows that inevitably gather around even the most joyous occasions. We see the joy, but we feel the melancholic truth that nothing lasts forever. This interplay engages our subconscious, reminding us of our own mortality and the preciousness of each passing moment.