Reflections from Locker #14: Girl with the Pearl Earring

Girl with a Pearl Earring
Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, 1665
Reflections from Locker #14
By MEGAN GANNON 

We hear labels like the Renaissance, the Cubist movement, Impressionism and automatically we think of Michelangelo, Picasso, and Van Gogh. We fabricate time periods to fit artists, to fit ideas, to make a timeline. Although in placing arbitrary boundaries around art we lose our connection to the pieces themselves. Yes, by breaking art into specific schools, to study and analyze, we succeed in viewing the works through Michael Baxandall’s period eye. Yet what happens when you understand why a virgin Mary’s hand are placed outwards, but have no emotional reaction to the work? You only see the painting as piece of history, like a coin or cup salvaged from a some far away kingdom, not an image in front of you that was forged to inspire and to admire. 

With this collection, I plan to talk about the humanity of art, why paintings from the Renaissance mean more than a representation of certain time period. To talk about the power of artwork, the miraculous combination of paint and pigments that transcend time. The works that despite our distance from their creation continue to shock, awe, and mesmerize those who study them. 

In order to place the paintings in perspective, I plan to examine them through my personal experiences. The stories paired with each work will indeed be personal, and slightly embarrassing, but real. I believe that art serves two basic functions, one to educate and another to feel. I’ve spent the majority of high school absorbing the education and now with the little time I left before I voyage off, I figured that maybe I should feel the works one last time. 

I invite you to join me on this deconstructed academic crusade of looking at a work, and attempting to rationalize the art within in your own context. 

Welcome to the Megan period, detailed in nothing in particular but the insights of one high school senior from the Barstow School. 

So where shall we begin... the Girl with a Pearl Earring? 

If you’ve read this blog for a while or are familiar with some of my former posts, you might remember I wrote about Leibl’s Girl with White Headscarf as the supreme example of simple beauty. I now must rephrase, Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, knocks Leibl’s Girl with White Headscarf out of the park for me. 

You might be confused on why I would start our journey with a discussion on beauty, but if we’re going off the timeline of high school, beauty unfortunately is at the start. For to a high school freshmen, the Girl with a Pearl Earring represents that one senior girl who effortlessly exemplifies natural beauty. 

At 15, I wore rainbow colored shorts and collared shirts, attempting some “preppy” yet relaxed vibe. I’ve evolved to denim skirts, cotton t-shirts, stripes, sneakers, navy and green. Now in twenty years, I’ll probably look back on my senior year self and wonder what the hell was I thinking? But for now I live in amidst weathered Birkenstocks, brown leather belts, and red baseball hats. 

The fact that the identity of the Girl with the Pearl Earring, is unknown to us only makes her more mesmerizing, her anonymity gives her the passing face in the hallway vibe. She’s the kind of person who you know by name and appearance but nothing of her life beneath the surface. Vermeer paints her to be on display, her head’s position delicate and slightly agar, forcing the viewer to tilt their own head slightly to mimic her. Her eyes possess a certain storm like quality with the whites and grays drawing you in, her gaze speaks out to you as strangely personal yet equally distant. Her slightly parted lips, colored with a mild rouge, appear mid-sentence, mid-thought, creating a casualness in the viewer-painting relationship. 

Vermeer’s dark background, makes her skin appear illuminated. He further supplements her glowy skin with the light bouncing off her pearl earring. The pearl itself alludes to her elegance, and her natural and effortless beauty. A kind of last minute accessory that separates her from every other girl with a blue headscarf. 

Her headscarf beautifully painted with strokes of blue that further bring out her eyes and slightly parted lips. The traces of blue towards the nape of her neck demonstrate the continuance of this light, this light only brought you to by this transfusion of color. 

As a freshmen you see her as all you want to be, confident, beautiful, mysterious, noticed. You think of the ways to achieve this allusive beauty, attempting to change your features to fit the girl. Although as you grow, you come to realize that instead of altering yourself to fit the girl in the painting, you begin to see yourself as the girl in the painting. 

One cannot measure beauty in comparison to others, because it stems from you. The Girl with a Pearl Earring appears so stunning because she lacks fear, she embraces her beauty. As you grow, you see the impractical nature of trying to be her, your realize your eyes are not clouds of gray but a kaleidoscope of color. You discover you cannot recreate her, but why would you want to? 

At 18, I’ve come to embrace my own beauty, the freckles on my heels and shoulders, and my hair that changes with the seasons. It’s precious waste of time to compare yourself to others, for you will never live up to your own expectations unless you first accept yourself. 

Now when I look at the Girl with a Pearl Earring, I do not see some upperclassmen I aspire to be, I see myself. 

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Crossing Boundaries: Lamentation of Christ

Andrea Mantegna
Image result for lamentation of christ mantegna
Andrea Mantegna, Lamentation of Christ, 1480
Crossing Boundaries
By EMMA SHAPIRO

The Lamentation of Christ was a commonly depicted theme for artists from the Medieval ages and the Renaissance to the Baroque. It shows the period of mourning after Christ's crucifixion. Since many artists painted their own versions of the Lamentation of Christ, many variations of design and composure exist. However, Andrea Mantegna's depiction of the Lamentation of Christ differs from most other paintings of the scene in many ways. Mantegna looks at the scene through a perspective that other artists had yet to imagine. He strayed from the common layouts that consist of much more contact between the mourner's and Christ, and uses light, shadows, and drapery to emphasize the suffering of the figures. 

Mantegna portrays Christ at an angle from his feet and uses the method of foreshortening to make Christ appear shorter. At the time this optical illusion was fairly uncommon to artists, but after Mantegna's mastery of it, foreshortening became a standard part in training artists. The shortening of Christ's body and the distance of the mourners pull more emphasis to the anatomical details of the body. From this angle Mantegna can highlight Christ's thorax as well as the holes on his hands and feet. The close intimacy the of the work shows the deep rips of the holes. The drapery falls between Christ's legs and and wraps around his pelvic area to highlight the genitals, a symbol of humanity. 

Mantegna tested the limits of artistic freedoms and painted in a way unimagined before. He took the chance to cross an artistic boundary and received boundless praise for doing so. Artists now model their works off of Andrea Mantegna's creativity and boldness. 
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Crossing Boundaries: Madame X

Crossing Boundaries
Image result for madame x singer sargent
John Singer Sargent, Madame X, 1884
Crossing Boundaries
By Emma Shapiro

Amelie Gautreau, the subject of Sargent's Madame X, was a well-established Parisian socialite, best known for her beauty. Although Amelie was born in the United States in New Orleans, she moved to Paris at a young age with her mother and grew up in a life of French nobility. She later enhanced her popularity by marrying a wealthy banker twice her age. Due to this high social standing she had many painters paint portraits of her. John Singer Sargent aimed to become one of those lucky painters.

Sargent vied to paint Madame Gautreau because he believed that doing so would elevate his status as a painter. One of Amelie Gautreau's most defining characteristics was her soft white skin, and Sargent wanted to emulate that skin on canvas. When Sargent had the chance to paint Amelie Gautreau he tried to show her skin, grace, and beauty, but also emphasize her daring attitude and individuality. By portraying her personality though portraiture Sargent thought he would receive praise for his skill and also his uniqueness. To do this, Sargent painted the right strap of Gautreau's gown slipping down her shoulder. But, Sargent's attempt at being innovative failed him.

The painting was first displayed at the 1884 Salon. Sargent had won an award at the salon the previous year which forced the Academie to give him a spot on the wall in 1884. Yet, his painting at the 1884 salon received much more ridicule than praise. People were offended by Sargent's portrayal of one of Paris' elites as coquettish. 19th century society could not believe that Sargent would paint something which condoned adultery. Madame Gautreau's mother requested that Sargent remove the painting from the salon and change the name of the portrait from Portrait of Madame Gautreau to Portrait of Madame X. She wanted the identity of her daughter hidden, because this painting crossed the line.



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Crossing Boundaries: One Way Ticket

Crossing Boundaries
Image result for one way ticket jacob lawrence
Jacob Lawrence, One Way Ticket, 1941
Crossing Boundaries
By EMMA SHAPIRO

Jacob Lawrence was born in New Jersey in 1918, but his parents migrated from Virginia and South Carolina. From a young age he took an interest in painting the people surrounding him; neighborhood activity, sideway politics, beggars, and late night commuters. Lawrence then moved to painting scenes of Harriet Tubman and Toussaint L'Ouverture. He painted them in flat, unshaded forms, a style he never abandoned. When Lawrence grew tired of those scenes he decided to begin a large scale documentation of the black exodus from the south, birthing the Migration series.

In his Migration Series, Lawrence does not depict the gruesome scenes of violence and racism but focuses on the internal emotional suffering of the lonely survivors. He is able to convey the struggling that African-Americans experienced during their migration without tossing blame in any direction. Lawrence chose this subject matter because he felt connected to the story.

Jacob Lawrence tells the African-American migration story and even though we are past the pain of this particular historical event, many current stories can relate. People around the world constantly must make the choice to cross physical boundaries in search of new residence. And just like the African-American migration, these boundary crossings are in search of safety, security, freedom, and a happier life.

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Crossing Boundaries: A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery

A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery
Image result for philosopher giving a lecture at the orrery
Joseph Wright of Derby, A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery, 1766

Crossing Boundaries
By EMMA SHAPIRO

Joseph Wright of Derby took an interest in the industrial revolution and the enlightenment and painted a series of paintings displaying scientific and academic subjects. A Philosopher Giving a Lecture at the Orrery preceded An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump and followed Three Persons  Viewing the Gladiator by Candlelight. All three of these paintings depict people observing science or studying, are candlelit, and caused a stir in opinions. Joseph Wright of Derby shows scientific miracles in a way which was previously only used for religious paintings. The painting shown also goes by the longer name "A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the sun". This title reflects the idea of scientific miracles, such as artificial light, overtaking religious symbolism. Instead of the figures having a religious epiphany they are experiencing a conversion to science.

Joseph Wright of Derby's painting challenged the set hierarchy that favored classical history and mythological subjects. The public was previously only exposed to paintings of biblical heroes, and greek gods. Wright transitions from his classic landscapes, portraiture, and christian themes and attempts to revolutionize subject matter. Wright advocated for the importance of science and knowledge through the concentration of the subjects surrounding the orrery. Their interest highlights the idea that science and reason help advance society. He also includes two young girls leaning on the orrery which shows belief in the future involvement of women in intellectual matters. The people in the painting are crossing the academic boundaries that constrained them, and art, before the enlightenment.
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Crossing Boundaries: The Bolt

Crossing Boundaries
Image result for the bolt fragonard
Jean-Honore Fragonard, The Bolt, 1777

Crossing Boundaries
By EMMA SHAPIRO

Jean-Honore Fragonard painted The Bolt (also known by The Lock) in 1777. Initially this painting appears similar to Fragonard’s The Stolen Kiss, a romantic scene of lust and affection. It has the same softness and flowy drapery, but the room is in a disarray. The chairs legs stick out, the harsh red drape falls around the messy bed, and roses scatter the floor. The woman in The Stolen Kiss shows a lack of complete interest in her face, but the tilt of her body confirms her consent. However, the woman in The Bolt looks unhappy in her face and seems to be pulling away from the male grasp. With closer examination of the subject matter and the name the painting loses its loving appeal and adopts a more violent one. 

Fragonard meant for The Bolt to compliment his Adoration of the Shepherds. The Adoration shows sacred love and redemption, whereas The Bolt sends a message of sin and desire. The bed takes up a large portion of the canvas, an obvious symbol of eroticism. Fragonard also draws the viewer to the violence by streaking the light from the bolt and following the pull of the man's arm. The man's arm moves up to the bolt, but his body falls toward the woman. The woman on the other hand has lost her balance and control. Fragonard shows a complete invasion of space. The man crosses the unconsenting woman's personal boundaries as well as her sexual comfort levels. 
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Women in Photojournalism: Donna Ferrato

Donna Ferrato


An assignment for the New York Times Magazine on child rape in South Africa, 1998, Donna Ferrato
Women in Photojournalism
By REID GUEMMER 

Donna Ferrato, a photojournalist known for her coverage of domestic violence, has worked for a great deal of new sources such as The New York Times, Time and People. In her photographs, Ferrato focuses on illuminating the darker sides of humanity. What is so unique about her work is that she captures issues that people are reluctant to discuss. Taking on both freelance and commissioned assignments, Ferrato's work provokes thought on human interactions.

Ferrato not only photographs images that bring awareness to issues such as rape and abuse, but she consistently works with various companies to help eliminate these issues from society. These issues are hard to photograph without showing scaring and violent images, although Ferrato uses human emotion to show the detrimental effects of matters such as sexual assault and abuse. In a assignment for the New York Times Magazine, Ferrato did a series on child rape in South Africa. In this series, rather than finding a way to show the gruesome acts, Ferrato shows the human reactions to moments revolving to sexual assault. I believe this is what photojournalism should be, a portrayal of raw human emotion in reaction to all wonderful, difficult and challenging moments in life.
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Women in Photojournalism: Hansel Mieth

Hansel Mieth
Hansel Meith, Untitled, 1963 
Women in Photojournalism
By REID GUEMMER

Hansel Mieth fully dedicated her life to her profession. When photographing on site, Mieth and her crew would live among the issues in order to capture the most raw and telling images. Mieth once said "To be a good photographer you must feel what people feel when they're down." Her extreme commitment to battling social and political issues in the United States resulted in great contributions in documentary style films and photojournalism. Mieth achieved her primary goal of showing the world injustices through the lens of her camera.

In 1937 Meith was made executive editor at LIFE magazine, making her the second female photographer on staff. For this reason, Mieth felt a great deal of discrimination and restrictions against her work and creativity. She was given demeaning assignments, her work was often censored and in many cases the work she was assigned did not get published. Meith had originally been hesitant to take the job in the first place because of these reasons and potentially undermining her beliefs to work for corporate America. Although despite this, Meith was able to use LIFE as a platform to reach thousands of people and display to the strength of human spirit. 
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Women in Photojournalism: Hillary with Ice Cream in Hand

Diana Walker
Diana Walker, With an ice cream cone in hand, Hillary waves to the crowd in Weedsport, New York, as she heads to the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged in Auburn, New York, One of the stops on her Save America's Treasures tour,  July 14, 1998, 
Women in Photojournalism
By REID GUEMMER 

Diana Walker provides America with images of behind the scenes and in between moments of politics. Walker worked as TIME Magazine's White House photographer for over twenty years covering numerous presidencies with subtly. Her greatest technique in capturing these unique moments is credited to the detachment. In the same moment, she somehow creates an unspoken relationship with the subject as well. In other words, Walker does everything she can to make herself invisible in order to capture the raw, detailed moments.

Walker had a particularly unique relationship with Hillary Clinton. She had the opportunity to photograph her over a period of twenty years, as Hillary transitioned from first lady to secretary f state and everything in between. Since the span of Hillary and Walker's time together was so large the level of comfort between the two reached a point where Walker could capture exactly the types of images she wanted, the natural and candid moments. The image above is a perfect example and one I find particularly powerful. Ice cream cone in hand, Hillary waves to a crowd. 

Like many of her female colleagues, Walker felt that she faced gender discrimination in the news field. In an interview she discussed this saying, "I've always felt that I got a really good shake from the women picture editors in New York who thought it time for another woman in their ranks. In some ways being female gave me a leg up; in other ways, male chauvinism reared its ugly head." For this reason, I feel that Walker's relationship with Hillary has allowed her to capture such amazing moments in her career. Working along side each other, the two heavily promote equal opportunities for women and succeed at making strides that push the system with this in interest.

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Women in Photojournalism: Displaced

Displaced
Malin Fezehai, Displaced, on going 2007-present

Women in Photojournalism
BY REID GUEMMER

Malin Fezehai began her career in Sweden, her home country. After attending school in New York City for film and photography, Fezehai began her career as a photojournalist. She spends much of her time traveling the middle east, Africa, Europe and America capturing images of displacement. 

In an on-going series, Malin Fezehai studies modern migration and displacement around the world. For the first time since world war II over fifty million people have been forced to flee their homes due to climate change, wars, natural disasters, food and water scarcity, and internal conflict. In many cases multiple of these factors play a part. 

In 2010 a massive magnitude 7 earth quake devastated Haiti. The earthquake caused an especial amount of damage to Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. It's estimated that nearly three million people were affected by the earthquake, including aftershocks. In the first image, taken in 2012, a collection of wife-beaters hang down from a close line. On the horizon are a collection of houses and buildings in Port-au-Prince still in need of repairs. 

Women make up 50 percent of refugees. In many cases, these women often end up being abused or sexually assaulted after or during the escape of the countries they are fleeing. The following two images are women in UNHCR camps (the UN against sexual violence in conflict), an organization that raises awareness to these issues and works with displaced women and girls. Their primary goal is to help bring an end to sexual violence and make the world a safer, more nurturing environment for girls and women. 
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