American Art Quiz #2
Charles Willson Peale, The Peale Family, 1770-73, 1809
1741-1827, painted more than 1000 portraits of elite members of society Raphael and Rembrandt Peale were sons. Portrait painter created the first American Museum of Art Made 7 mezzotints of portraits for wider distribution Some suggested that he'd be a better painter if he spent less time on inventions He invented a lot of practical, handy things. Sight for rifles Portable shower He painted the first 7 presidents of the USA Most ambitious painting was The Peale Family Trains under Benjamin West shows his brother, St. George Peale in a drawing lesson while his other brother looks on 3 generations of family around the table Nurse to his children in the background Shelf of sculpted busts on the right Domestic harmony Figures united within a pyramidal composition Relaxed smiles, overlapping limbs Matricentric portrait. Submissive centrality. Sense of egalitarianism here on formal and graphical levels Tells us about the Peale family Drawing is part of the conventional education In addition to portraiture, there is a history painting and still life portrait within Many puns within this picture most obvious, the idea that you have an orange peel on the foreground of the table "peel and peale" He made the first American Art museum For enlightenment and enjoyment. The thing here is that it toys with us a bit. There's a foreshortened knife, asks us to ponder the realism.
John Singleton Copley, Portrait of Paul Revere, c. 1768-70
1768-70 Revere is shown here about to carve this sort of pearl shaped teapot refelctive with a serpentine surface gonna do it with the tools in the painting analogy of tools of art to make portraits, and revere's tools to make beauty Revere and the thinking position show the moderate manner that Copley viewed with his sitters. No wealth indicated. No coat of arms, waistcoat, dirty fingernails Merging of manual and mental facilities Works with head and hands Ultimately in America, whether you worked with your head or hands defined your social class. Revere straddles that mental and physical fault line. Clothing suggests upper class. Grander ambitions. These are individuals who are testy and petulant about their social position in Boston He wants to do something other than make teapots The teapot is important as it's part of tea's expanding global trades. Silver from mexico Fashioned in Boston Tea from Asia Sweetened with sugar from African slaves in Caribbean Revere wasn't in a great financial situation He would sell fake gold and silver teeth to augment his income At the time he's broke, he's holding a teapot (which wasn't being commissioned at the time) Copley himself devalued manual labor. Being a portraitist is above a shoemaker, but here he is painting a silversmith. It's a portrait of Revere, and Copley is similar to his situation. Both portrait painting and silversmithing were luxury items. Copley wanted to use this as his own PR to get new clients. This is the only bisected portrait that Copley does Highly promotional work The illusion is that you're in his shoppe Copley paints lots of artisans, this is the only in the workshop The lines on the sleeve draw attention to the detailed lines that Revere would have put into the teapot engraving Revere would have hardly engraved, he delegated it out. No one wanted to see the illusion of labor. "So I'm getting real work by the master" He's not doing that anymore, he's a silver master now. The clothes themselves suggest his work. The open shirt was a common sign of a manual laborer. Yet this is not a forger, he's not in a hot place. He's engraving which isn't hot. The pleats and modeling of the left sleeve are supposed to resemble liquid of molten silver that Copley would have read about in Diderot's Encyclopedia. Liquidity of silver. Silver is currency. Forging and engraving, both huge parts of labor of making this pot Joining maker with thing made, idea from John Locke It could not only sell silver, this painting can also sell Copley.
Benjamin West, Death of General Wolfe, 1771
1771 Best known painting Despite the advice of the King, he painted James Wolfe in Modern clothing, not in Greek or Roman clothing. In the past, you'd put them in a toga even though ancient Rome is Milennia ago. He showed a contemporary character in contemporary clothing. Shows a scene that isn't even 12 years old. If you show him in contemporary clothes, it was thought to debase him. This work was popular, four replicas commissioned including one for the King. People looked at it and thought it was either brilliant or idiotic. Goes against the grand manor (grand style) Reynolds defined that as the pursuit of perfect form The subject must be generally interesting, colors strong, preference for Primaries Reynolds wrote the Discourses in Art Basically how do you keep any subject noble or grand "Drapery should fall in large, simple folds" "proportions should come from classical sculpture" That's why there's a famous painting of George Washington in a toga. West started a revolution when he ignored European modes of history painting Took General Wolfe that died in America, in contemporary garb which he mitigated by the that he is depicted as the lamentation of the dead christ Looks like contemporary state scenes, mirabilia but it still banks on tradition.
Charles Willson Peale, The Staircase Group: Raphaelle and Titian Ramsay Peale, 1795
1795 illusionistic, painted, spiral staircase When you see this, there is an actual physical step affixed to it. On the bottom you have a playing card that resembles the knife from the earlier paintings as if come in and look Visual discernment was on the minds of Americans in the late 18th c. On display in the Pennsylvania Statehouse in 1795 Peale has his own politics going on at this time. Peale wants to start a school, The Columbianum. Who gets to speak for whom? "Sharp Eyes" were necessary in a democracy. Peale is engaged in his own battle of transparency He paints this at the time of the J Treaty. All the negotiations to get Britain out of American waters are happening down the hall from where this painting is hanging. In many ways, Peale is playing on the symbolic contest of verbal metaphors of being able to see clearly. Taste for illusionism, trickiness resonate at the political and artistic levels of this time This tells you to be wary of deception.
Charles Willson Peale, The Exhumation of the Mastodon, 1804
1804 Peale made a special water pumping system that kept the water out of the excavation site. At right, you see Peale who is displaying his painting of a Mastodon leg. Alexander Wilson was a bird biologist who is standing in a contrapposto stance. Why is this an outrageous topic? Exhuming things that show humans were not at the beginning. Dinosaurs are older than 1800 years old. This wouldn't work in evolution vs. creationism. That's what this debate is all about.
John Singleton Copley, Death of the Earl of Chatham, 1779-80
Another history painting William Pitt is the Earl, very american sympathizing Brit Even contemporary history painting would have had all these pieces of ancient Greece and Rome. This piece even furthers history painting because it incorporates 55 portraits of England's nobleman He was trying to record an important event for posterity He goes to London to become a history painter. Copley went for improvement, to become a better artist Yet he so often played up his Americanness. Wanted to be seen as exotic. While this was being exhibited, he began working on the The Death of Major Pierson
Charles Willson Peale, Benjamin and Eleanor Ridgely Laming, 1788
Around 1760, more organic relationship between husband and wife Love matches over arranged marriages Acceptability of PDA growing Peale was a major figure of art and science during 1786 He converted a painting gallery into a museum of natural curiosities in 1788 he was commissioned to paint this portrait Ultimately he will group art in nature He devised a leaning posture for the husband so that his portly figure wouldn't overpower his small wife The spy glass and exotic parrot show his mercantile interests Freedom flowers were symbols of the Goddess of Fertility and her "gardening activities" Encyclopedic interests of Peale Talks about the emerging psychology of companionship of marriage Visualization of pleasure Familial bliss was important
John Singleton Copley, Mary and Elizabeth Royall, c. 1758
Copley seldom painted children More rare for showing two children, "teenage" daughters of Isaac Royall Medford, Massachusetts Designed to show off wealth and social status silk dresses drape behind them to be of english aristocrats the pets convey status, the hummingbird and the dog obedient pets and the girls modest demeanor to show the girls to be polite, disciplined, well mannered. Good daughters, good future wives. Oldest one married William Pepperell. Which later she was painted after death with her husband.
Attributed to John Watson, Captain Johannes Schuyler and His Wife, Elizabeth Staats, c. 1725-30
Dual Portrait Few childless couples Stiff linearity He stands, she sits
Robert Feke, Isaac Royall and Family, 1741
Gender as a class dynamic Isaac Royall, merchant in slave trade very rich 2 story house Represents him as very young standing next to his wife and daughter The figures are super stiff This aesthetic was created from classical formality and balanced order Asymmetry and lack of proportion were bad because they led to irregularity in your life. Little evidence of emotional irregularity. The painting shows that they're a possessions and exotic, imported luxuries. These expressionless women their hands are held in certain ways that were learned from etiquette guides clear distinction between male and female social roles women are more defined as domestic caregivers New England wilderness has been subdued by this man He is their bracket, taller, he stands as they sit. He's depicted more naturalistically, he is more human
John Singleton Copley, Boy with a Squirrel (Henry Pelham), 1765
Half-brother (Henry Pelham) Makes it specifically that showcases everything he knows Sends it to Benjamin West and Sir Joshua Reynolds 1765 He makes this knowing he is going to ship overseas to London to get constructive criticism. They think it's outstanding, but lots of room for improvement They said his surfaces were too hard Clothing was super hard This work tells us that he's a master of light on surface. He knows reflection and refraction He understands the human form The surface texture appeal to the sense of touch Here he gives us water, dry things, a huge drapery, then he has a cherry or oak desk that challenges the picture plane that comes out into your realm Refers the Baroque space concept, co-expansive Reaches out, comes out of the 2D to the 3D Interested in containing nature. Squirrel, is the object of nature. Pelham does to the squirrel what Copley does to the world of painting: contains it. Different patterns in the squirrel repeat patterns in his head. Supposed to be heard by Sir Joshua Reynolds who is deaf. The ear on Pelham is weird. Because Copley studied emblems, he's exactly the artist who would put emblems in a painting
Mark Catesby, Bluejay and Smilax, from Catesby, The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands, 1731-47
He's a naturalist A product of the mid 18th c obsession with species and the natural environment of the new world. He has subscribers to this pamphlet These guides are ways to know the relatively unknown. His scientific expeditions were from 1712-19, then 1722-26. Those expeditions resulted in the first, fully illustrated survey of the flora and fauna of the americas This book has 220 hand colored etchings. He makes these based on drawings, but augments them. Initially made in installments for 155 subscribers. Bluejay and Smilax 1 one of the 220 hand-colored engravings Looks like gouache but not so To this point the natural sciences portrayed all living things as a neatly ordered hierarchy Provided the idea that they're complex systems of interdependent organisms He made tight, complex compositions What this work shows us, is Catesby showcases his ability enliven static pictures to show the interdependence of flora and fauna He has the living thing and a piece of its habitat He foreshadows modern ideas of ecology These originally were in small installments Now they're combined into this large book He catered to the english vogue for american specimens
Matthew Pratt, The American School, 1765
He's the green coat Pratt is the guy behind the easel on the right accomplished portrait painter at the time drawing before painting the studio of Benjamin West was a training artists who settle in 18th c London
John James Audubon, Bald Eagle, from Audubon, The Birds of America, volume 1, 1827-30
John James Audubon Golden Eagle Female Adult 1833-1834 In Philly at the time as well Comes to Philly with father Education center Making drawing of flora and fauna under the influence of Catesby Draws birds of the southern states in 1827, get's engraver to produce prints for the Birds of America which was completed in 1839 in a double elephant folio Called this because the 435 prints are printed on double elephant paper, the largest available Subscribers would receive this in 87 parts 435 hand-colored prints of over 1000 life-size birds representing 489 species process of engraving, etching, and aquatint rendered all birds, life-size. twists and contorts them to fit on the paper. He shot, cooked, ate, stuffed, and drew every animal in this thing Birds of America sold for $1000 only 135 were known to be sold Audubon's works represent several birds in their activities of hunting, feeding, courting, and caring for their young Foreshadows Darwinism. Predator vs. Prey Showing members of the same species struggling to survive against each other Bald Eagle's not only are the American symbol but they're a good example of the evasion of extinction. Each print was hand colored, often times they would be painted at different times with different paints. Conservation could be a problem as well.
Charles Willson Peale, George Washington, 1787
Most famous people in America Many took his likenesses, 70 done by Peale He painted 7 life portraits. Washington posed for him fully in that time. He's paint an original, then he's paint replicas for those who ordered replicas. There's a whole industry for paintings of Washington at the time. Eventually Rembrandt Peale does porthole paintings of Washington later. practitioner should aim for purity, propriety, and precision. nothing should get in the way of subject matter. things should be painted about with care, finesse, and fidelity to some physical or archaeological truth. Things should be clear, meticulous, clean, straightforward Peale was able to paint portraits of many Rev. War Generals including Washington He made Bust length likenesses in oval frames. He wanted to start a museum that was part science and part art space He was going to have a long, double isle of portraits that were super clear and plain of selected subjects. In order to absorb the lessons of a Jefferson, you need to be able to visually comprehend him. Devises a portrait gallery in 1782, expands it in 1786 to a museum of art, painting, and natural history (scientific, botanical, animal, plant specimens) among the finest portraits he made is Thomas Jefferson He adopted a bust-length composition completed in 2-3 sittings sitting for this was super quick, attention focused on the center's head (center of intelligence) Creating an oval window, represented the neoclassical models of public virtue The idea was to be motivated by these exemplars of virtue Almost artless, plainstyle When he's doing this, it's during the Revolution. People are wondering, why be an artist? He's giving them an answer, the duty of the artist is to sow the seeds of virtue in a republic. Peale is truthful to their appearance. The plain style refers to form and iconography. The frames were a bit flashy, but the individual's face is the most important. There are codes received and used by artists at the time to show the personalities of each person through their noses or their facial expressions.
Charles Willson Peale, The Artist in His Museum, 1822
Science is in the air as well Lewis & Clark Expedition is happening at this time. The Artist in His Museum, 1822 As they gathered specimens, they sent them back to Jefferson and Peale. Many would be taxidermied and put into Peale's Museum. You'd have paintings of specimens, and these stuffed animals put in front of painted backgrounds of their normal homes Art and science meeting. From 1791-1810 Peale concentrated on his Museum in 1801, Peale discovered the bones of a distinct Wooly Mammoth called a Mastedon. In this picture, you see a huge reconstruction of the Mastedon He's raising the curtain, lifting the veil and show you the book of nature Peale has gigantic fossils from Dinosaurs.
John Singleton Copley, Mrs Thomas Gage (Margaret Kemble Gage), 1771
She's wearing Tuquerie Orientalizing fashion was popular in British culture Easier to talk about tensions in another time and place rather than revolutionary era She was married to Brit, but she was sympathetic to Americans. Costume is a moniker for identity whether financial or exotic he's interested in another way of seeing the world, pensive posture and garb all the clothing can barely negate the fact that she has a certain look on her face, other things on her mind common theme also in Albrecht Durer's Melancholia I
Ticket to the Peale Museum, Philadelphia, n.d.
The book of nature is open to you Reminds of the intersection of art and science the larger enterprise of the peale family is to educate and illuminate through the book of nature reminds us that the museum is a matter of popular entertainment in the early republic reminds us that the kunst kamer is the antecedent of the modern art museum peale is removing the curtain, removing the veil talk about the pantheon of worthies alongside specimens
John Singleton Copley, Sir William Pepperrell and His Family, 1778
ex-patriot he settles in London where he refashioned to appeal his paintings toward British tastes Pepperell was super wealthy and this was one of Copley's first British commissioned The wife died, this is a make-shift reunion of the mother. For the grieving widower, vision of what might have been if she had lived. She is like a spoke on a wheel from which so many children radiate She is upright, solid, while others are malleable Yet she is below him. She has pictorial power, but her social power is one of submission. Submissive centrality Complicated by the utterly fictitious nature of this portrait This is hyper edited, manipulated work One of the edits, Pepperell has Copley as showing his family on the cutting edge of progressive childhood education. Aims for the gentle upbringing of the child
Charles Willson Peale, John Cadwalader and Family, 1772
in just a few years, he understands more about the subtleties of tonalities. Understands texture of fabric a bit better Peale never really rises above a egg head shape of faces.
