Royal Trap 2021

Michael Cheval made this painting, Royal Trap, using oil on canvas. The level of detail is striking, almost surreal. Just look at the way he's rendered the textures – the sheen of her blue dress, the crispness of her lace collar, and that metallic headpiece, which, by the way, is such a funny and weird detail, isn't it? The way the paint is applied, thin and smooth, really lets the colors sing, especially that intense blue against the warm oranges and browns of the autumnal setting. It’s like a classical portrait gone haywire, the kind of thing you might see in a dream, or maybe a slightly disturbing fairytale. There's something about the way Cheval combines technical skill with a quirky imagination that reminds me a bit of Magritte. But where Magritte is cool and detached, Cheval feels more theatrical and emotional. Both artists ask us to question what we see, though, and that's always a good thing.