Solar Eclipse 2016

Michael Cheval made this oil painting, Solar Eclipse, sometime in the late 20th or early 21st century. Just look at the careful brushwork, especially in the costumes! The paint handling is so delicate and precise. You can tell this artist enjoys the process. There’s something about the relationship between the figures and the landscape that feels uncanny, doesn't it? The way the candlelight flickers, just so, feels really deliberate and staged. I love how Cheval uses the layering of figures to create depth and visual interest, so that the eye is led around the canvas to discover these weird, dark, but beautifully rendered, faces in the background. Each face has a unique expression, and they seem to be observing the couple in the foreground with a mixture of curiosity and concern. Cheval is very interested in the surreal and in dreams. It makes me think of Magritte, who was very interested in the relationship between the familiar and the strange, and how we can use art to explore the hidden depths of our unconscious minds. And like Magritte, Cheval wants us to question our assumptions about reality and to see the world in new and unexpected ways.