Salle Privee 1988

LeRoy Neiman’s “Salle Privée” gives us a peek into a private room at the Casino de Monte Carlo, painted with a flurry of energetic marks, probably with quick brushes or maybe even palette knives. Neiman’s color palette is full of vibrant hues like purple, green, and touches of bright yellow, creating a heightened sense of drama. Look at the way he renders the figures – they're not so much portraits as impressions, built up from layers of color. The paint handling is really interesting: it feels both spontaneous and deliberate. There's a kind of controlled chaos in the way he applies the paint, which brings to mind artists like Joan Mitchell, who used a similar gestural approach to capture a sense of movement and emotion. Take a look at how the roulette wheel is suggested with just a few strokes – it’s pure energy! Neiman wasn’t trying to give you a realistic picture, but more like an exciting feeling. This piece feels like a snapshot of a glamorous world, full of excitement, chance, and maybe a little bit of recklessness, too.