Any masterworks that contain humor?

ARTalker · October 20th, 2011, 09:41 AM

Can anyone suggest specific works of art that contain great humor/humour? (Titles, artists & links would be appreciated.)

I need to find several artworks (paintings and sculptures) that are funny. I don't need contemporary work/illustrations. I'm looking for paintings by great masters throughout the ages, perhaps up to and including the modern era, say 1960s.

We do have obvious social satire (like Hogarth's Marriage a la Mode), political satire (like Thomas Nast's political cartoons), and the illustrations of Norman Rockwell (some of which are quite humorous); some genre paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder contain humor, and Rococo works like The Swing but otherwise I can't think of any that make you really

SMILE.

I'm in the USA, but suggestions of works from all over the world would be appreciated. Thanks for your ideas!

John · October 20th, 2011, 10:58 AM

There are only a couple of contemporary artists I find laugh-out-loud funny...
1. Mark Tansey
2. Walton Ford

For older artists, check out this article I wrote once upon a time. It's about some of the more bizarre and scandalous stories from art history, but most of the examples are IMO quite funny.
Notorious Portraits, part I
Notorious Portraits, part II

October 20th, 2011, 09:41 AM	#1
ARTalker Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 25	Any masterworks that contain humor? Can anyone suggest specific works of art that contain great humor/humour? (Titles, artists & links would be appreciated.) I need to find several artworks (paintings and sculptures) that are funny. I don't need contemporary work/illustrations. I'm looking for paintings by great masters throughout the ages, perhaps up to and including the modern era, say 1960s. We do have obvious social satire (like Hogarth's Marriage a la Mode), political satire (like Thomas Nast's political cartoons), and the illustrations of Norman Rockwell (some of which are quite humorous); some genre paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder contain humor, and Rococo works like The Swing but otherwise I can't think of any that make you really SMILE. I'm in the USA, but suggestions of works from all over the world would be appreciated. Thanks for your ideas!

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October 20th, 2011, 10:58 AM	#2
John John Malyon, host Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2,400	There are only a couple of contemporary artists I find laugh-out-loud funny... 1. Mark Tansey 2. Walton Ford For older artists, check out this article I wrote once upon a time. It's about some of the more bizarre and scandalous stories from art history, but most of the examples are IMO quite funny. Notorious Portraits, part I Notorious Portraits, part II