Night Burn
Goodman, Sidney
1986–87
Artwork Information
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Title:
Night Burn
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Artist:
Goodman, Sidney
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Artist Bio:
American,1936–2013
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Date:
1986–87
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Medium:
Oil on canvas
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Dimensions:
90 1/8 x 67 1/8 inches
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Credit Line:
Wichita Art Museum, Museum purchase, Burneta Adair Endowment Fund
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Object Number:
1991.8
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Display:
Not Currently on Display
About the Artwork
Critics have described the Philadelphia artist Sidney Goodman as a realist and a symbolist because his images combine a naturalistic rendering of familiar things with allegorical narrative. Goodman’s principal subjects include family portraits, scenes of contemporary life in urban, industrial settings, and figurative compositions with a moral/spiritual theme.
The two paintings Night Burn and Daydream were conceived as a diptych. It is characteristic of Goodman to leave the interpretation of his allegories open to discussion. He does not offer precise explanations of the meaning, but we can assume he is addressing the themes of birth and death, leaving us to make our own associations with each scene.