Autumn Hunt 1970

LeRoy Neiman’s Autumn Hunt, made with oil paint, feels like a sprint across the canvas. It’s a glorious mess of oranges and yellows, a real celebration of the season and the hunt itself. Look closely, and you'll notice how Neiman uses thick, juicy strokes of paint, almost like he's sculpting the scene rather than just painting it. The texture is palpable, giving the whole piece a sense of immediacy and energy. It’s like he’s inviting us to join in the chase, to feel the thundering hooves and the crisp autumn air. See that one spot of bright lavender just beneath the pack of hounds? It is placed with such intent! It is a small area, but vital to the balance of the whole piece, it acts as a visual counterpoint to the riot of warm tones. Neiman’s work always reminds me of the Ashcan School, especially artists like George Bellows, who captured the raw energy of urban life with similar bravado. Both Neiman and Bellows seemed to understand that art is not just about representation; it’s about capturing the feeling, the essence of a moment in time.