Rudolf Kosow

Sly (hunt dog ear surrealism scale animal men best friend nostalgia vintage art)

2020

People encounter a domestic animal that is commonplace and familiar, but the disproportionate scale creates fascination, fright and this perspective renders the human speechless. Similar to the satirical novel "Gulliver's Travels", people are confronted with an inexplicable encounter and do not know how to react to it. Is the situation perplexing because a dog is huge, just taking a nap and does not notice the people around it, or are humans too tiny and do not recognize their "absurd" existence? keywords; surrealism, animals, cat, oil painting, earth tones, figurative painting, strangeness, contemporary surrealistic, unsettling, contemporary figurative painting, dreams, symbolic composition, cat paw

A surreal vertical oil painting titled Incident by Rudolf Kosow depicts an immense, detailed black horse's hoof dominating the majority of the composition, set against a muted, textured background. At the bottom right, a small man...

"Cuddly Snout" by Rudolf Kosow is a stirring piece that captures the tender relationship between a human and an animal, portrayed through the striking close-up of a pet dog's snout, with a person resting peacefully against it. The animal's facial features are rendered with exquisite attention to texture and detail, each whisker and patch of fur beautifully accentuated. The small figure of the person, leaning with an air of contented ease against the snout, is a testament to the comfort and solace that animals provide. This closeness conveys a shared moment of rest, an unspoken bond of trust and affection that needs no words. The artwork’s title, "Cuddly Snout," encapsulates the warmth and gentle nature of this interaction, highlighting the simple, pure connections that form between the hearts of humans and animals. Kosow’s work invites us to reflect on the soft, quiet moments that we cherish with our pets, those times of closeness that bring us joy and comfort. It’s a visual homage to the silent, heartfelt communication that deepens our bonds with the animal companions who grace our lives. This painting is a tender reminder of the unconditional love and comfort that our furry friends bestow upon us, often becoming a serene haven in our lives. keywords; painting on canvas, surrealist painting, animal vs human, americana, nature, man, man vs nature, surrealism, giant animal...

"Tense," a thought-provoking piece by Rudolf Kosow, presents a surreal interplay between a colossal bulldog and a diminutive baseball player. The dog's face, detailed with astonishing realism, conveys a palpable intensity through its piercing gaze. The size disparity between the dog and the player underscores a narrative ripe with anticipation. The baseball player, clad in traditional attire, stands with bat at the ready, embodying a moment of concentration and readiness. This portrayal of the player, so starkly contrasted against the vastness of the bulldog's features, evokes a feeling of an undercurrent of suspense, as if the outcome of this encounter balances on a knife-edge. Through "Tense," Kosow delves into the theme of confrontation and the moments that precede action. The artwork captures the stillness before the storm, the quiet before the play, offering a metaphor for life's high-pressure situations where individuals face larger-than-life challenges. The painting invites reflection on the psychological interplay between fear and courage, the small against the mighty, and the personal tenacity required to stand firm in the face of overwhelming odds. "Tense" is not just a snapshot of a surreal encounter but a broader commentary on the emotional landscapes we navigate when confronted with formidable obstacles. keywords; painting on canvas, surrealist painting, animal vs human, americana, nature, man, man vs nature, surrealism, giant animal...

Karen Shahverdyan „Toros“ 180 X 130cm, oil on canvas

Karen Shahverdyan „Speed“ 70 X 100 cm, oil on canvas

Joséphine Beaudouin (1909-2005) Poetry of the Bird, surrealist painting, 1948 Oil on canvas Signed "Joséphine Beaudouin" and dated "1948" lower left 13,7 x 10,6 inch Born in Albi in 1909, Josephine Beaudouin (née Cals) showed an early interest in drawing. At the age of twelve, she moved to Paris where her mother, Jeanne Ramel-Cals, ran a literary salon that was frequented by art world figures such as Ambroise Vollard. In 1925, while her first drawings appeared in the magazine Crapouillot, the young artist entered the School of Decorative Arts where she studied fresco painting. She married the architect Eugène Beaudouin in 1928, with whom she traveled throughout Europe. Beaudouin, a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, designed a series of buildings that were precursors of modern architecture in France (Clichy, Maison du Peuple; Antony, Résidence universitaire Jean Zay). Josephine Beaudouin exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants, the Salon des Tuileries, the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs. The work of the one that Jean Cocteau described as "bewitching" is full of mystery. Her work bears the stamp of an extraordinary personality. Indeed, Josephine Beaudouin developed a penchant for dreams at a very early age and took refuge in the works illustrated by Gustave Doré. Her technical virtuosity and overflowing imagination were praised by the critics of her time who unanimously greeted her Marmorées (ill.1). Named by René Barotte, these are paintings made on marble slabs from 1955. The artist exploits the infinite resources of the veins of this support which inspires him poetic compositions with unusual subjects. Marked by surrealism, she returns to the fantastic by delivering a prodigious creation of the mind made of dreamed cities and trompe-l'oeil. The 1948 painting that we propose probably represents a red-billed chough. The bird is a recurring theme in the work of Josephine Beaudouin, as in her life. An avid ornithologist, she kept an aviary in her Parisian home where many island birds were kept. She also built up a collection of stuffed birds. Still on this theme, the writer Claude Aveline (1901-1992), author of the poem L'Oiseau-Qui-N'Existe-Pas, invited several visual artists to freely interpret what this bird could be. The first series of works was produced between 1956 and 1963. In 1957, Joséphine Beaudouin delivered a work with a pen of great finesse, now preserved at the Centre Pompidou (ill.2). Several renowned artists also responded to the invitation of the poet such as Jean Cocteau and Ossip Zadkine. The precision of the graphics of our painting testifies to an attentive observation of the anatomy of the birds. The artist paints with great delicacy: the technique is impeccable, the drawing is careful, the material is smooth, the details are represented with great finesse and mastery. Bibliography : Fernand Pouillon...

"An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" is an evocative piece from Andreas Claussen that depicts an abstract scene of an astronaut opening their helmet and apples come tumbling out. ...