With an almost saintly fervour, these two contemporary Madonnas stare out unblinkingly. Painted in miniature by the iconic Peter Blake, an artist fascinated since childhood by miniaturisation and an avid collector of tiny curios and quirky objects, they inhabit a folk ‘Tramp Art’ frame, of which the repeated crucifix motif suggests a religious setting. These imaginary women, close-cropped to their frames, confront the viewer directly with an intense gaze: one clear-eyed and intense, the other soft and seductive. Blake’s mischievous addition of Disney character tattoos shatters the atmosphere of religious reverence and reminds us that Peter Blake, at the age of 92, is still a deeply contemporary artist.
Late period. ‘Girl with a Disney Tattoo’ 5 (Both panels), 2020, Oil on two wooden panels, 5 1/8 x 3 1/4 in / 12.7 x 8.5 cm (each); 8 3/4 x 10 1/2 in / 22 x 26.7 cm (framed)
For more information about this artwork, please be in touch with the gallery via mail@waddingtoncustot.com.
