October 15, 2016
A Comparison Between Family Portrait, II and The Presidential Family
Fernando Botero’s The Presidential Family and Florine Stettheimer’s Family Portrait, II provide starkly different views of 20th century families. Partially owing to the differences is the fact that Botero’s painting represents the Colombian presidential family while Stettheimer’s work is a depiction of her own family. Aside from the difference in specific subjects, the paintings vary in artistic style, in color, and in overall tone.
Botero was known for painting bloated, oversized figures and The Presidential Family is certainly no exception. Botero’s version of the Colombian presidential family is one of 7 large human figures with exaggeratedly rounded faces and bodies and a bloated cat or dog. Even the mountains in the background appear to be uncharacteristically rounded. In contrast, Stettheimer’s figures are thin and tall; they appear to be relatively proportional. Additionally, the facial features of the presidential family are all very similar and extremely solemn. On the other hand, Stettheimer’s family’s facial expressions are softer and more varied.
In terms of object definition, Botero’s subjects and objects appear much more defined than Stettheimer’s. There are clear outlines around the figures, around the various objects they are holding, and around the mountains in the background and on the ground. In contrast, the figures and objects in Stettheimer’s painting are less clearly defined and appear, at least in some parts, to blend and flow into their backgrounds. This observation ties into the color choices each artist made. Botero’s painting is primarily dark, with varying shades of gray and otherwise muted colors. On the other hand, Stettheimer’s painting is much lighter; the focal points are shrouded in shades of cream, white, and light blue.
Despite their differences, there are a few similarities between Family Portrait, II and The Presidential Family. Firstly, both paintings appear to incorporate a degree of surrealism. In Botero’s work, the subjects appear to be standing on small, rounded mounts that resemble mountains. There are also larger, seemingly-pyramidal mountains in the background of the painting, indicating that the painting is set in a strange outdoor location. In Stettheimer’s work, the setting is even more ambiguous. Although the figures appear to be situated in an ornately-decorated room, there are large flowers floating in midair and various objects, including a chandelier and the Chrysler building, lingering in an almost ghost-like fashion in the background. Further, both paintings depict upper-class families. The presidential family is clad in furs, dresses, pearls and suits and Stettheimer’s family members are wearing dresses, heels, and lacy shawls.
