Le Baisé (N24) – Oil on canvas, Jack Gage

Jack Gage, a contemporary American artist renowned for his exploration of geometric motifs and his graphic reinterpretation of the great classics of art, presents here a captivating Pop-Surrealist reimagining of Auguste Rodin’s *The Kiss*.

On an unframed, stretched canvas, the oil painting depicts a couple locked in a passionate embrace, covered in a red and white chequered pattern applied like a second skin. Faithfully following the anatomy of the figures, this pattern creates a striking optical effect that enhances the volumes and movement of the bodies, set off by a warm, earthy red monochrome background. The work is signed by the artist in the bottom right-hand corner.