Mark McGwire Home Run Record 1999

LeRoy Neiman threw down this painting of Mark McGwire in 1999 with what looks like oil or acrylic. I can only imagine the kind of speed he worked at. Look at the juicy swirls of yellow, red, and blues that surround the figure of the running batter. The painting seems to pulse with excitement, capturing not just a likeness, but a feeling. Neiman’s mark-making doesn't fuss with details; instead, each stroke seems intent on conveying energy, the sheer dynamism of the home run record. You can feel it in the way he paints the batter's body, the suggestion of movement in the legs, the tension in the outstretched arm as the figure runs. Neiman was a sports artist. His work reminds us that painting is more than just representation. It's an act of translation, one in which the artist distills the essence of a moment, transforming observation into an experience for the viewer. It makes you think about all the ways artists have captured our attention, again and again, across time, inspiring us to see and feel things anew.