“No pictures. Get to your group.” Sorry, sir…I’m the only one getting busted for taking pictures of art at the White House. #normanrockwell
arthipstory
makin' art real talk
Images
self-portrait as bonze
Vincent van Gogh’s “Self Portrait as a Japanese Bonze” was sent to Paul Gauguin as an old-school evite to to join him in south of France to create an artistic community.
He had previously written to Emile Bernard that he was impressed with the tradition of Japanese artists exchanging artworks with each other and hoped the two chums would join him in Arles. I’m calling this the original bromance.
It was later auctioned off in 1939 after being labeled “degenerate” by the Nazis and confiscated. It now belongs to the Harvard Art Museum.
winged nike
Winged Nike of Samothrace is believed to have been part of an outdoor theater, coming down from the heavens with a full and successful fleet. She’s been standing in the Louvre’s main staircase since 1884, a year after she was discovered without her arms and her head (duly noted: she was removed during WWII for safekeeping with other armless sculptures, ahemmm, Venus de Milo).
Perhaps more amazing than the fact she is made out of marble and she looks soaking wet is that there is an EXACT replica in the Idaho State Capitol.
Idaho? Since when is Idaho celebrating naval victories from the 3rd century BCE?!
Bernini’s “Ecstacy of St. Theresa” was a work commissioned by Pope Innocent (OF COURSE). Created in just four years, the 1652 marble sculpture features St. Therea of Avila getting, ahem, down, with an angel. In her diary, she describes a religious experience: “He appeared to me…with a spear…and thrust it at times into my heart, and to pierce my very entrails…to leave me all on fire…the pain was so great that it made me moan.”
Right, t-girl. Do your thing. Just so you know, that face speaks VOLUMES.
luncheon of the boating party
There’s so much to say about this work. The girl on the left is Renoir’s girlfriend; she was drawn talking across the table, but he didn’t want his lady to be chatting for eternity with another man. Gustave Caillebotte (fellow Impressionist, known for the “Rainy Day in Paris”) sits backwards in his chair and sports a fedora. Cute.
Flash forward to 1923, when Duncan Phillips buys the painting. Contemporary collector Albert Barnes visits DC. The man owned plenty of Renoir works and sneers, “Is this your only Renoir?”
“It’s the only one I need,” Phillips responded.
Norman Rockwell’s triple self-portrait features other artists that investigated the selfie, including Rembrandt, Durer, Picasso, and van Gogh. He was also a major fan of the afternoon Coca Cola.
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