The Battle of Hastings 1962

Allen Jones made this painting called 'The Battle of Hastings' with oil on canvas, though when exactly is anyone's guess. Jones's flat planes of color create a playful, cartoonish effect, but there's also something unnerving about the way these shapes intersect. Look at the way Jones uses color to create a sense of depth and movement, like how the orange blob in the bottom-left corner seems to pulse outwards, or how the floating squares scattered throughout the canvas add another layer to the overall composition. The surface of the canvas feels smooth, almost slick, with no visible brushstrokes to distract from the overall image. Jones's work reminds me of David Hockney’s bright, bold colors and his use of flat planes to create a sense of depth. Ultimately, this painting is all about ambiguity and the endless possibilities of interpretation. What do you see?