Tag Archives: art institute of chicago

equestrienne

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Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec finished Equestrienne in 1888, and sold it to the owner of the Moulin Rouge, Joseph Oller, the same year.

Lautrec doesn’t give a damn about anything glamorous about the circus in this. Instead, we have this close-up of this weird, sexual trifecta of ringmaster, rider, and what has to be the most well-endowed horse in all of art history.

Rumor has it Suzanne Valadon modeled as the rider, and I am SO EXCITED BY THAT. She also modeled for Renoir’s Dance at Bougivalmy favorite work never on display at Boston’s MFA.

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battle of the pauls

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Not to be redundant, but Paul Cezanne’s Still Life with Fruit Dish makes its appearance in Paul Gauguin’s Woman in front of a Still Life by Cezanne. I know what you’re thinking: WOW, Gauguin, super original.

A few things I absolutely hate about this work (surprise, surprise)…

1. Knife: Why does it look like it’s floating!? Worst.

2. Signature: Gauguin does a pretty rude move where he signs the white border of the Cezanne work. Like, are you serious, Gauguin? Way to take credit for a work you didn’t actually create with that borrowed background! Lucky us, though, since we get to interpret the signature as witness (a la Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Wedding Portrait) or as a self-important chump (a la Duchamp’s urinal). Personally, I’m going with latter.

3. Ownership: Gauguin once said that he would never sell this Cezanne without “direst necessity.” But guess what?! He later sold it to pay for medical treatment in Tahiti…something to do with syphilis, perhaps? (I ignore ALL dental analysis theories; don’t you dare rain on my parade, science!)

4. That WAIST: Mainly since I’m damn jealous. You can keep your hate-filled glare, though, girl. I’m not about that.

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Breakfast Time is my weekend Instagram a painting by Swedish artist Hanna Pauli from 1887. She wasn’t engaged yet, so it’s signed as her maiden name (here’s hoping she went by St. Pauli’s girl during their courtship, amirite?).

This painting went on display during the Paris Exhibition and the Chicago World’s Fair. Fun Fact: The Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry are the only two structures built for the World’s Fair in 1983.

Trust me, you’ll sound so smart at brunch this weekend.

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in the wings

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Although Jean Louis Forain’s “In the Wings” suggests a quiet moment during a ballet or something, this is actually my next blind date–just swap boring and portly for tall and handsome. My outfit may or may not boast the same amount of cleavage, but I can guarantee that look of boredom slash disinterest matches anything in my closet.

“In the Wings” was gifted as part of Martin A. Ryerson’s bequest to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1933. Aside from being a bona fide hottie, he was Chicago’s richest man at only 36. #LIFEGOALS

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american gothic

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Guys, lighten up! It’s almost Friday! I don’t know about you, but I mean, I had a DAY OFF MONDAY and it still feels like a full blown work week! YEESH!

On a side note, Grant Wood painted American Gothic in a contest hosted by the Art Institute of Chicago in 1930. The man won third place, a cash prize of $300, and in the process, ticked off a whole bunch of Iowans. Wood said the work was an act of appreciation, saying, “I had to go to France to appreciate Iowa.”

Uh, sure. Kinda like how I appreciate my savings account by blowing it on Anthropologie sales.

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katy perry does aic

Ugh, Katy Perry visited the Art Institute of Chicago earlier this week and pretended to know everything about Surrealism and just art in general. Oh! And she captured every ounce of brilliance on her Instagram. #Oy

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Perry’s caption says, “um…YES IT IS” to this painting. Well, darling, if you knew Magritte’s thinking on this work (or read this post), you’d know he’s making a representation over a physical replica. So, “NO IT’S NOT.”

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Her caption for this one says, “also at @theartinstitutechi the original goths #americangothic.” OH KATY. American Gothic comes from the name of the architecture used in the background’s farmhouse. It has nothing to do with the couple (though I’m feeling those overalls).

There are even more art history mess ups on her Insta. You’ve been warned. First Mondrian, now this.

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