Mark King

(British, b. 1931) 

“I make no judgments about what I see – there is no right and wrong – it is there to be assimilated.”
— Mark King

Internationally admired artist Mark King is a champion of Impressionism and the School of Paris, known for his masterpiece scenes of contemporary sports moments. King’s style is largely Impressionist but grew to sometimes include characteristics of Post-Impressionism. He objectively paints the reality of what he sees, and occasionally uses exaggerated colors to express feeling rather than a completely naturalistic atmosphere. He has an identifiable style and technique, with a painterly brushstroke that retains more realism than other post-war Impressionists. He calls himself the “unobserved observer,” making no judgments about what he sees - only absorbing and reflecting.

Born in Bombay, India to British parents, King’s development included exotic experiences and a privileged education. After graduating from La Martiniere College in Calcutta at 16 years old, he attended Bournemouth College of Art to study painting, sculpture, architecture, and theatre design. After deciding to focus on painting, he moved to Paris to study at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Louvre. Studying the success of European masters would heavily influence him. He was a plein air painter of landscapes during the 1960s, living in France and Italy, working outside to accurately translate the true effects of atmosphere and light like the Barbizon School and Impressionists decades before him. 

King began to expand his subject matter to include sports, and to use color in more versatile ways once he came to America. This is where he also embraced photography, taking and using photos for reference. King masterfully wields a palette knife to create most of his paintings, using a small brush for details only 10% of the time. His technique of choice is to apply the pigments in a one-time explosion of inspiration, called alla prima, which means “at first attempt.” King’s artistic versatility and maturity, as well as his discerning ability to balance the interaction of texture, brilliant color, and dynamic subject matter, have made King a highly sought-after artist and earned him a place among the 20th century masters.

American Fine Art, Inc. is proud to feature the original works and limited editions of Mark King. Visit our 12,000 sq. ft. showroom in Scottsdale, Arizona or call today. Our website is offered only as a limited place to browse or refresh your memory and is not a reflection of our current inventory. To learn more about collecting, pricing, value, or any other art information, please contact one of our International Art Consultants. We look forward to giving you the one on one attention you deserve when building your fine art collection. We hope you find our website helpful and look forward to seeing you in Scottsdale soon.