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Schatz painted Two Students while he was an Associate Professor at Albany State University in Georgia. The loose application of brushstrokes and multiple layers of paint creates depth and tension, which hint at the physical and psychological presence of each model as perceived by the artist.Label Type
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Stephen Schatz (1943--2025)
Two Students, 2001
oil on canvas
18 x 24 in.
Gift of the artist, 2018.2.1
While an Associate Professor at Albany State University in Georgia, Schatz worked with live models to create a series of portraits. In Two Students, Schatz paints the figures with muted tones, including desaturated shades of yellow, red, green and violet. The figure to the viewer’s left looks outward, beyond the picture plane, whereas the figure on the right stares directly at the viewer. A vivid green brushstroke pushes downward just behind their right shoulder, generating a sense of movement that fixes our attention on their gaze and the model’s mood. Drawing inspiration from artists such as the celebrated Dutch Baroque painter Rembrandt, Schatz’s portrait uses light and energetic brushstrokes to heighten a subtle sense of drama and tension that highlights the complexity of the human condition.
This work of art is a part of the HCC Permanent Art Collection. The HCC Art Galleries, through their Campus Loan Outreach Program, seek to share original art by collecting a diversity of works for the education and enjoyment of the HCC Community.Label Type
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Stephen Schatz (1943--2025)
Two Students, 2001
Oil on canvas
18 x 24 in. (framed)
Gift of the artist, 2018.2.1
While an Associate Professor at Albany State University in Georgia, Schatz worked with live models to create a series of portraits. In Two Students, Schatz portrays the duo by sticking to muted tones and unsaturated palettes seen in his other works. Drawing inspiration from the great masters of painting like Rembrandt, Schatz's use of color and bold brushstrokes create a sense of drama, melancholy, and mystery - highlighting the conundrum of the human condition.
This work of art is a part of the HCC Permanent Art Collection. The HCC Art Galleries, through their Campus Loan Outreach Program, seek to share original art by collecting a diversity of works for the education and enjoyment of the HCC Community.