Samantha Samy

Art Gallery 2020 (inspired by Met artwork)

The Influences of Culture and Religion 

 

Blind Orion Searching for the Rising Sun

1658 

Nicolas Poussin – French

This portrait is inspired by the myth of the blind giant Orion being directed toward the rays of the sun by Cedalion. I chose this art piece because it represents how we are all a little blind in a sense. We know we have a purpose of some sort, a direction in which we are supposed to head, but often need to be guided. This portrait also reminds me of the riddle of the Sphinx, in which we start life naively, whether we are a child or are blind, but as the sun moves we too move. As the day changes, so do we. 

 

 

Virgin and Child with Saint Anne

Probably 1519

Albrecht Dürer – German

This picture of the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus includes a young Saint Anne, who was venerated in Germany. It is an interesting choice for the German artist to include a German saint in a portrait of Christ. Although, it is a common theme throughout history that Jesus is interpreted with different skin tones, body types, or styles of facial hair and clothing, particularly those of the artist‘s homeland. Jesus was born in the Middle East, and yet in many portraits he seems to be white, even European looking. Perhaps it is important that the person painting the portrait makes Jesus someone that the audience can relate to, and therefore changes his appearance to fit their identity. 

 

 

Young Lady in 1866

1866

Edouard Manet – French

I thought this portrait was interesting for many reasons. At first glance, I thought this woman, Victorine Meurent, was wearing a simple sleep gown. However, previous to modeling for this portrait, she had posed for the nudes “Luncheon on the Grass” and “Olympia”, which changes the tone for this portrait. It is as if she is overcompensating with this very conservative gown. Scholars have also interpreted the elements in this portrait to be an expression of the five senses: the orange is taste, the parrot is hearing, the monocle she is holding are sight and touch, and the nosegay is smell. 

 

 

Flight Into Egypt

1923

Henry Ossawa Tanner – American

This portrait depicts the events described in the Gospel of Matthew, Mary and Joseph escaping with Jesus from King Herod and his murders. This work by Tanner has a unique style, with one simple lantern acting as a light that brightens the entire image. This portrait on its own is powerful, but the personal meaning it has for the painter (an African American man who left the United States because of systematic racism) is clearly evident. 

 

 

The Fortune-Teller

Probably 1630s

Georges de La Tour – French

The narrative in the portrait is fairly clear: a fortune teller, referred to as a gypsy, tells a man she will give him his fortune for a small price. While his guard is down and the Gypsy is working her “magic”, her assistants rob him. The man is likely too captivated by the reading to notice. The assumptions we can make are the women in the portrait are poor and this man is rather wealthy. If he truly believed in the Gypsy enough to pay her for her service, it was likely he wanted to learn not only of his future, but the future of his wealth. He should have remained mindful of what riches he had in the present rather than worth for the future. 

 

 

Tables for Ladies

1930

Edward Hopper

The artist depicts two women working in an eatery and a couple sitting quietly in the back. The positions that these women hold are newly available for women of this era. The title refers to establishments of this time advertising for women to come and dine out. Previously, women dining alone were assumed to be prostitutes, but female customers were newly “mobile” at the time of this painting. It is worth mentioning, however, women (and men) today are still judged for dining alone. As recent as in the 90s, if a woman dined alone, she was assumed to be lonely and unable to find someone willing to take her out (Friends made a joke about this by having Rachel “date herself” and in the process scare away a potential date who found this weird). Luckily, it seems to be a less prominent problem in the 21st century.

 

 

The Love Song

1868-77

Sir Edward Burne-Jones – British

“Alas, I know a love song,/ Sad or happy, each in turn.”

Inspired by a song, this portrait clearly depicts a love scene. What I found most interesting about this image is not the beautiful background detail, but rather the lack of detail in the foreground. If you look closely, Sir Burne-Jones has neglected to paint toes on the left foot of the man, and put very little effort on those of the right foot. It is clear that the artist wants you to pay attention not to the bodies of the subjects, but rather the looks of admiration passing from the man to the woman, who cannot bring herself to meet his gaze. 

 

 

Dancing in Columbia

1980

Fernando Botero – Colombian

This portrait is shockingly eerie, as all the musicians shown are staring directly at the audience while playing. I chose it because I believe the commentary of this art piece is that when we are enjoying music or other forms of entertainment, our focus is not on the things or people that we consider to be in the background. In movies, we look at the main characters. In photographs and portraits, we look mainly at the subject. We play music in the background while dancing, doing work or other activities in order to fill the void. Once you pay attention to background characters, it’s almost unnerving how you never noticed something that was always there. Instead, the dancers have become more of a background element than the musicians. You notice their seven inanimate stares before you see the cigarettes on the floor or the lightbulbs over their heads. 

 

 

Wheat Field with Cypresses 

1889

Vincent Van Gogh – Dutch

When first looking at this portrait, I think I was looking at Starry Night if it were daytime instead. There is no denying the similarity in the brushstrokes nor the blending of colors to make the sky look simultaneously calm and cloudy. I chose this piece specifically because it is a photo that only means something if you take it all in at the same time. Included is one corner of the piece, which up close looks very similar to white and blue frosting. I love the idea that sometimes things only make sense in terms of the big picture. 

 

 

Hagar in the Wilderness

1835

Camille Corot – French

This scene, taken from a chapter in the Bible, depicts Hagar, the servant of Abraham, and her son Ishmael, who he fathered. Abraham was told by God that he would have a son with his wife Sarah. However, he did not listen to God and instead listened to his wife, who told him to have a child with Hagar. Sarah became Hagar‘s servant when she was pregnant, but eventually God’s promise came true and 90-year-old Sarah was able to give birth to her son Isaac. It was then that Sarah told Abraham to cast out Hagar and her son Ishmael. But God did not forsake Hagar in the wilderness, and pictured is the moment of divine salvation. The portrait suggests that even when humans try to interfere with the will of God, he will find a way to fulfill his plans.