Puritans to Pop Art Michael Smith Picturing Early America 2010
How did we get from point A to point B? From Early Colonial portraits of pious Puritans, to 20th Century celebrity silk-screens?
In search of the how and the why.
Imagine if you could only have your picture taken once in your life.
How careful would you be about the image it presented?
In Colonial times you were lucky if you could afford to have your picture painted even one time. So you wanted to be presented at your best.
In what way are these alike? In what way are these different?
Young Mother Sewing by Mary Cassatt (1900) Elizabeth Freake portrait 1670
Who is the sitter? How are they posed? What kind of clothing is the sitter wearing? What is the setting? What objects are there? What do they represent? Who is the artist? When was the portrait painted? What was going on in history at the time?
“Hey kids, I’m Thomas Smith. That scene behind me is from my glory days in the navy. Want to hear my poem?
1680 Self portrait
Why why should I the World be Minding Therin a world of Evils Finding. Then farewell world: Farewell thy Jarres Thy Joies thy Toies thy Wiles thy Warrs, Truth Sounds Retreat: I am not sorye. The eternall Drawes to him my heart By faith (which can thy Force subvert) To Crowne me (after Grace) with Glory.
Thomas Smith 1690
You must realize that American Art was rarely purely American. It was influenced by various countries, especially European countries, and also by the fact that America is a country full of immigrants who brought the artistic styles and tastes of their homeland to American art. Likewise, American artists have influenced other countries as well.
1755 Benjamin West portrait of Mrs. Samuel Boude
This was done by West as a teen, before going to Europe to be trained as an artist.
Copley’s portrait of Paul Revere done in 1768; Five years before the Boston Tea Party. What is Paul holding?
Activity: Create your own self portrait using the same format as Thomas Smith’s self portrait.
You must have a window behind you that tells about your life.
Decide what you will be holding. Also, what poem or song lyric will you have on
your desk?
Activity
Activity: Create your own self portrait using the same format as Thomas Smith. You must have a window behind you that tells about your life. Decide what you will be holding. Also, what poem or song lyric will you have on your desk?
Who is the sitter? How are they posed? What kind of clothing is the sitter wearing? What is the setting? What objects are there? What do they
represent? Who is the artist? When was the portrait painted? What was going on in history at the time?
Portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart known as “The Lansdowne Portrait” it was painted in 1796.
Are these the clothes of a king?
What’s a Fasces?
What does his posture seem to be saying?
As Rosenquist explains, “The face was from Kennedy's campaign poster. I was very interested at that time in people who advertised themselves. What did they put on an advertisement of themselves? So that was his face. And his promise was half a Chevrolet and a piece of stale cake."
It’ all about consumerism
The miniature portrait was quite popular in America from 1760 right up until about 1840.
They were small enough to hold in the palm of your hand!
Andrew Jackson 1819
Did you realize that during the first part of the 19th Century, the United States not only allowed slavery, but was also in the process of relocating and decimating the Native American population?
Winslow Homer’s “The New Novel” 1877
You would never see a woman portrayed like this during the Colonial period!
The invention of photography had an effect on artists. Now that a camera could capture how someone looked, artists searched for ways to create artwork that went beyond the mere recording of an image. They began to experiment with creative uses of color and style. The first group of artists to do this were called The Impressionists.
It didn’t switch on like a light bulb, but as we moved into the 20th Century, artists experimented more and more with abstraction and this also had an effect on portraiture.
The artist Andy Warhol is most credited with the art movement known as Pop Art. It was art that was inspired by the popular culture. In other words products that Americans were consuming. That meant anything from cans of tomato soup to celebrities.
John Singer Sargent’s “Lady Agnew” 1893
John Singer Sargent’s Lady Agnew 1893
Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe 1962
In the Sixties and Seventies artists moved toward painting that was super-real. They made paintings that looked like photographs. The style was called “Photorealism”.
Chuck Close “Big Self Portrait” 1968 Walt Kuhn “Wisconsin” 1936
Walt Kuhn’s “Wisconsin” 1936 Chuck Close “Big Self Portrait 1968
Create a collage using magazine images in the style of the Pop Artist James Rosenquist’s The President Elect.
(Optional) Grid the collage and create a painting of the image.
Understanding that before photography became the norm, you only had your likeness made if you could afford it and therefore you wanted to present yourself at your best.
How to read a portrait. Understanding P.E.R.S.I.A. Politics, Economics,
Religion, Society, Intellect, the Arts effects everything. Understanding that American Art had many
influences, especially European.
- Explain how the subject matter and/or form of an artwork reflects the events, ideas, religions, and/or customs of a people living at a particular time in history.
Be aware of how the role of artists changes in different cultures and historical periods.
- Be aware that there are different styles of art and architecture and identify characteristics associated with these styles.
Identify and describe characteristic features of
Art from one time period, or a style of art from at least one culture, and cite a well-known artist associated with that style.
Identify and describe examples of how the discovery of new inventions and technologies, or the availability of new materials brought about changes in the arts in various time periods and cultures.
- Begin to develop 2D compositions that give the illusion of 3D space and volume.