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Analysis Of End Times

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Still life paintings are a way of elevating ordinary everyday objects to a place of prominence that tell a story of the society and culture of that time; showing that everything around us, no matter how ordinary, can be seen as beautiful. Painted with watercolors in the year 1985, End Times is a still life painting by artist Michael Beck. In true trompe-l’oeil fashion, the painting needs to be examined up close to be able to tell that it is not a photograph. The objects placed together in this piece are not necessarily objects that one would consider for a work of art. They are items that one would find in most households, but the artist placed them together in a composition, deeming them worthy enough for such artistic expression. In End Times, unlike traditional still life paintings, the artist has placed the items on a wooden floor instead of a table top. The composition is balanced with vases on one side, boxes and a plant on the other and a tall wood and rattan stool in the middle with a few items on the top of the stool. There are four vases of varying heights and widths placed on the foreground on the right of the composition. The largest vase which frames the right of the picture is yellow and white has the look of a ceramic milk jug that has some dried reeds coming out of the top. Next to this vase we see a small brown ceramic vase with more of a geometric tribal design on it, placed directly behind this vase is a tall and slender caramel colored vase. The fourth

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