Padegs art Kārlis Padegs

since exhibition mounted in 1933 kārlis padegs art became expression of unpleasant, ugly traits opposed tendency towards beauty in latvian art. padegs once said: must listen reproaches- why draw such disgusting pictures when there beauty in world?- there many abominable things , must draw them too, answer. want show seamy side of life not see in order not spoil our feeling of comfort or our appetite .

padegs deliberately strove shock morality of contemporaries (as did avant-garde artists), bewilder upper , middle class squalid tragedy of streets. art turned towards derelicts of society- city s poor, prostitutes, drunkards, cripples, debauches. developed kind of highly erotic traits, showed seclusion of these people. main contribution effect book poor people representing complete honesty urban life scenes.

even female nude in kārlis padegs paintings , drawings has nothing in common attainable or worshipped beauty. beauty expressed in terms of exotic ever-refinement. women s images incorporate sensual exposure of prostitutes body , divine mystery of madonna.

padegs famous madonna machine gun (1932).

padegs art came full flower in society of high development in art , thought. not find in works traits of amazement. artist strong ironical bent willing combine hardly comparable things , method achieved exceedingly sharp effects. in 1932 painted famous madonna machine-gun, picture of recognizable type foreboding of world war ii. padegs mind absorbed unconventional themes. death 1 of unpleasant subjects artist suffered tuberculosis many years.

in latvian art padegs stood apart did in everyday life. defiant , rousing envy. life full of paradoxes. had made mark perfect latvian draftsman when took new direction , graduated landscape studio @ latvian academy of arts of rector vilhelms purvītis, landscapist of european fame in 20th. century.

padegs preferred themes modern urban life, antiwar subjects, idealised dream world , sarcastic self-portraits. work redolent expressive distortion, refined features , sharp contrasts.