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Guston painted Gladiators in a social-realist style favored by many left-leaning artists in the 1930s, a style that reflected in part the political and aesthetic influence of the Mexican muralist movement led by Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. At the time he painted Gladiators, Guston was painting murals in New York as part of a Works Progress Administration (WPA) program. Hooded Klansmen first appeared in his work of the 1930s, in response to a Ku Klux Klan attack on one of his Los Angeles murals. Of these figures, Guston said, “They are self-portraits. I perceive myself as being behind the hood. … I almost tried to imagine that I was living with the Klan. What would it be like to be evil?”
Questions & Answers
What is the dominant color of "Gladiators" by Philip Guston?
The color that stands out most in "Gladiators" is bronze (#d99136). The dominant color is useful when matching an artwork to an interior.
Can I watch "Gladiators" as a full-screen slideshow?
"Gladiators" by Philip Guston can be viewed as a slideshow on the artwork's Diaporama page.
Is there a factsheet about "Gladiators" by Philip Guston for students?
The Guide page of "Gladiators" by Philip Guston offers a printable two-sheet factsheet: the artwork with its identity table, a decade band placing it in the artist's lifetime, other works by the artist, the measured color palette, and ready-to-copy citations in four styles.
Philip Guston (1913 – 1980)
Philip Guston (1913-1980) was a pivotal Canadian-American artist known for his evolution from Abstract Expressionism to raw, figurative art exploring racism, identity & political satire. A key figure in the New York School.
About this artwork
- Title: Gladiators
- Artist: Philip Guston
- Year: 1940
- Format: Landscape
- Copyright status: Under copyright
- Color palette: Earthy
- Main color: Bronze
- Color intensity: Balanced