The artwork titled “The Cardgame,” created by Balthus in 1950, is a notable piece from the Expressionism art movement and belongs to the genre painting category. This painting is currently housed in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, Spain.
In this intriguing genre painting, Balthus portrays two figures engaged in a card game, an everyday scene imbued with a sense of tension and subtle narrative. The composition includes a young girl seated on the left, dressed in a white garment, holding cards and appearing contemplative. Opposite her, a young boy in a red shirt leans over the table, seemingly hiding a card behind his back, suggesting a moment of slyness or trickery. A solitary candle placed in the center of the table adds to the dramatic ambiance, its unlit wick enhancing the mysterious and intense atmosphere. The figures are depicted with exaggerated proportions and a somewhat surreal quality, characteristic of Expressionism, creating a scene that feels both intimate and slightly disquieting. The subdued color palette and minimal background detail further draw attention to the psychological interaction between the two characters, emphasizing Balthus’s mastery in conveying complex emotional states through his art.
