Art and gambling: the most famous paintings devoted to gambling
Gambling and art may seem distant from each other. But artists have been depicting the world of gambling in their works for years. And today, these works of art have become priceless.
Gambling has long been a mass entertainment, because it allows you to have fun, relax and win real money. It is not surprising that artists throughout history have tried to find inspiration for their works in gambling.
This article was written with the support of www.onlinecasinohub.com/au/ , they introduce readers to the most popular paintings about gambling.

"Cheaters," Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

The Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio around 1594 - 1596 painted the famous painting "Cheaters," which brought him real popularity. The work is dedicated to gambling in Italy. Caravaggio unvarnished showed the story of a naive young man, who became involved with two cheaters. The dagger on the belt of one of them clearly hints at the possible outcome of the scam. However, they are united by a common drama in which each plays a role.
The painting is now preserved in the United States, at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.

"Card Players," Paul Cézanne

Paul Cézanne's series of 5 paintings united by one theme, the game of cards, was painted between 1890 and 1896. In his canvases, which are considered the most expensive in his heritage, the artist depicted the life and leisure of peasants, their simple way of life. Therefore, in Cézanne's works one reads not excitement, but routine - the players seem to be wasting their time. With nothing to do, why not play cards?
Four of the paintings in this series are in museums in Europe and America. The fifth was in a private collection until recently, when it was purchased by the Qatari authorities for the National Museum.

"At the Roulette Table in Monte Carlo," by Edward Munch

The famous expressionist painter Edward Munch devoted several paintings to gambling after he became fascinated by roulette during his stay in the south of France. He was fascinated by the atmosphere of the casino, which led to the creation of this remarkable work of art in 1892, "At the Roulette Table in Monte Carlo." In his work, the artist, who captured the drama of roulette, conveys the nervous tension at the gaming table, where losing or winning could have fatal consequences.
Today, the painting can be seen in the Munch Museum in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.

"Dogs Playing Poker," Cassius Marcellus Coolidge

Cassius Marcellus Coolidge's "Dogs Playing Poker" series highlights 18 canvases painted from the mid-1900s to the mid-1910s. The series was commissioned by Brown & Bigelow to promote cigars and made the already popular card game famous. In the artist's work, all of the figures characterize humanized dogs playing poker. The artist was very fond of dogs, so it was in this form that he decided to portray American players. Expressive emotions on the muzzles of animals, glasses with alcoholic beverages, pipes for smoking - all this emphasizes the special atmosphere prevailing in poker clubs.
Coolidge's paintings became widespread in the United States as examples of kitschy art. In addition, they were often copied and many parodies were written. In 2005, at an auction in New York City, 2 paintings from the series sold for the sum of $590,400 to a private collection.

"Soldiers Playing Cards" by Fernand Leger

A Cubist painting by the French Impressionist painter depicts three soldiers playing cards. This work of art was painted by Fernand Leger in 1917. The participants in the game are represented by symbolic images of details that emphasize their rank. It is as if they are taken apart as parts of the overall mechanism of the game. The painting shows the artist's love for the use of mechanization in World War I.
The canvas is considered one of Fernand Léger's finest works and is on view at the Musee Kreller-Muller, Otterlo in the Netherlands.

"Queen of the Slot Machines" Shelley Wilkerson

Contemporary artists have not ignored the theme of gambling either. In 2011, the American Shelley Wilkerson created a cartoon "Slot Machine Queen." It illustrates the evolution of gambling entertainment: from cards to slots. The work quickly became famous online and is one of the most popular paintings that deals with slot machines.
The painting is now for sale.
Each of the artists set the accents in their own way: some condemned gambling entertainment, while others through paintings simply showed the ordinary life of their era. Others - revealed different aspects of gambling entertainment after their visits to casinos - emotions, peculiarities of people's relationships.

So if you want to feel the same, remember the most important rule of every player - gambling should be treated responsibly.