Artists draw their inspiration from various fields of their life.
Across the years, numerous painters used gambling as the main idea for their works of art.
Not all of them were successful in their creation.
However, there have been artists who have created remarkable and ever-lasting pieces of gambling art.
In the following list, we have included the 5 most famous casino art pieces throughout history.
The Cardsharps
The first choice on our list dates back to the 16th century.
The Cardsharps was painted by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio in 1594.
The overall painting revolves around the idea of cheating.
More specifically, it illustrates two boys, the innocent one and the cardsharp.
The cardsharp hides extra cards behind his back.
Besides, there is another man who is signaling the cards of the innocent player to the cardsharp.
This depiction proves that gambling tricks have existed from the establishment of card games.
It has always been in our nature to defraud the opponent to win the game.
The Cheat with the Ace of Clubs
Another well-known piece in the gambling world was created between 1626 and 1629 by Georges de La Tour.
This art piece depicts three characters, one man and two women.
When the women are distracted, the man uses the moment to display two aces from behind his belt.
Once again, the artist has focused on dishonesty as the main idea for this gambling painting.
Furthermore, the artist has dedicated time to magnify the details.
He presents the women as anxious and suspicious of the man’s act.
The Argument over a Card Game
The Argument over a Card Game was created by Jan Steen in the second half of the 17th century.
This gambling artwork belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and is one of the most famous gambling pieces in history.
What’s unique for this creation is that it transforms the daily life of common people into a dramatic episode.
The cause of the chaotic scene is a classic card game.
Dogs Playing Poker
Another recognizable work of art for people of all ages and backgrounds is the Dogs Playing Poker, created by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge.
More specifically, the artist painted a whole series of gambling pieces in the period from the mid-1900s to the mid-1910s.
This gambling art depicts humanized dogs playing poker.
The purpose of the artist was to promote cigars.
Anyhow, his paintings took place in many other fields.
Some of the paintings were presented as kitsch art and even used as home decorations.
The Card Players
One more series of gambling art was created by Paul Cézanne.
He produced the Card Players as a series of 5 oil paintings.
Cézanne painted during the French post-impressionism period.
All of the painting illustrated the actions of peasants after they have finished work.
Each artwork was unique in its design. Anyhow, they all revolved around taverns, gambling or card games, and smoking.
Final Thoughts
In modern times of online casinos, we tend to forget the long history of gambling.
Luckily, there have been artists all over the years to capture the evolution of gambling games.
Each gambling artwork is unique in its beings.
What’s more, each piece represents the overall gambling culture of its time.
If you are a gambling enthusiast, we would recommend you to review the history of gambling art.
It will broaden your understanding of the niche.
Besides, it is extremely fun and in some cases even funny.
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