On the balcony

Tate Gallery, London, the UK.

Canvas, oil.

“On the Balcony” is an iconic painting by the artist, which became one of the first works in the style of pop art. The characters of the picture, looking like teenagers, are surrounded by images of many balconies, which attentive viewers, if not too lazy, can count – they are total 32. The images of modern British and American cultures, such as advertising logos and magazine covers, coexist here with Manet’s canvas and black and white photographs of the royal family. The work looks like a collage, although it is completely painted with oil paints. The technique, when an unusual sensation of a picture is created inside another picture, has become one of the most frequently used by Peter Blake.