Get Realism!

So i don't think I have never been a girl that has appreciated art, a museum was my nightmare, I didn't know one famous painting from the other and most art I have seen in museums, I thought that I could do myself, but here I am sitting in my American Humanities class, really enjoying this art we are looking at and discussing.  I actually loved this class on realism in art and really enjoyed analyzing it, talking about it and looking at it. 

John Singer Sargent

Sargent was famous for his portraits, and apparently he got a bad rap for being a sell out and some of his work was criticized, but I agree with Professor Soper and I think we give him to hard of a time, because I actually enjoy his work, especially this little girls photo on the left.  I feel like it is really genuine, and even though it has a darker light and look, i still feel like the tone and mood of the painting is happy and sweet.

Meet Madame X!  Even her name is risque!  Can  you believe that this picture at one time, was thought to be very scandelous??  That is hard to imagine in the world we live in now.  This is a woman who was well known and her pose, her ghostly white skin, her straplessness, all contributed to this picture as being "gossiped about"..To me, she looks like a woman who is confident, maybe even arrogant, she is making a stand, saying "No, i am not an Angle of my house,  I run this house!" .I   like to think of this picture in modern day times, front cover of OK magazine and the headline "Madame X Goes Strapless!"  For some reason she reminds me of the modern day Paris Hilton, I think it's her nose. 

MADAME P......If Sargent was around today, he would have painted Paris.

 

 

 

 

 

 James Abbott McNeill Whistler

This picture, where she is covered from head to toe, was also at one time thought to be scandelous.  I think this is a beautiful picture, maybe it is because she looks like a bride, and i have marriage fever but i think it captures this girl at such an interesting moment.  Her hair frazzeled, her face looks yoiuthful and pretty. I also think this girl could be on the cover of Modern Bride... This is a stark difference from this painting by Whistler..

Now I do not think this picture is beautiful, not at all because the woman is older but it is dark and has such a sad feeling.  The woman looks sad and like she just sits there all day, she sinks into the chair and disappears into the wall.

Mary Cassatt
Mary Cassatt is definitly my favorite, I had never seen any of her pictures before surprisingly and I just thought they were beautiful.  The relationship she portrays between mother and daughter is so special, and she does it in a way that is not corny or canned or staged, but it is just pictures of everyday life, the mothers look exasperated yet so happy, and the little babies are so dang cute.

What an amazing painting!  It is not just that I love babies, it is just so so real in my eyes, so perfect.

This one is by far my favorite and i think one day I want to own this picture for my home...It is just so so tender, that is the best word to describe it...absolutley tender, the little girl is adorable, the mother is so tired but just sits and listens to this little toddler and it looks like the perfect breakfast in bed scene.

So here I am...sitting and actually enjoying and appreciating this realism art, I am going to send this post to my mom to show her how cultured I am and how American humanities is changing me, one class at a time!