“Halloween,” a 2016 oil on linen painting by Bo Bartlett, measures 208.28 by 254 cm and originates from Columbus, Georgia, in the United States. Representing the art movement of Contemporary Realism, this figurative artwork is held in a private collection.
In the artwork, a group of children, donned in a variety of Halloween costumes, traverses what appears to be a street. The centrally positioned child is enveloped in a ghostly white sheet, with a haunting skull-like face painted in white. To the left, another child is depicted as an angel, followed by others dressed as a superhero, a devil, a scarecrow, and a brightly colored figure with pink hair. Each child carries a traditional pumpkin-shaped trick-or-treat container, symbolizing the festivity and innocence of Halloween. Bartlett’s meticulous attention to detail and the realistic portrayal of the children lend a sense of narrative to the scene, capturing a moment of whimsical anticipation and communal celebration.
