Juan de Pareja by Diego Velázquez
What makes the Juan de Pareja by Diego Velázquez an important painting?
– The enslaved artist follows us with his eyes
– A lace collar tops a soldier’s ensemble
– Preparation for the Pope’s portrait
Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga by Francisco de Goya
Why is the portrait Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga such a notable child painting?
– Birds, cats, and a lurking doom
– The saint – an involuntary dandy
– A string? … or the line between life and death
The Falling Soldier (Photograph) by Robert Capa
Why is The Falling Soldier photograph by Robert Capa such a stunner?
– A spectacle and shadow of death
– Cropping with poignant purpose
– Controversy can’t kill a masterpiece
Government Bureau (1956) by George Tooker
Why does George Tooker’s painting Government Bureau creep me out?
– Anonymous features, faces and figures
– Porthole windows for communications
– Fluorescent lighting, beige carpet, and a grey void
Cathedrals of Art by Florine Stettheimer
What makes Cathedrals of Art by Florine Stettheimer such an iconic painting?
– Monster in the middle
– Stettheimer as cultural iconoclast
– Bouquets as trademark – an outsider inside
Max Beckmann’s The Beginning
What’s the story behind Max Beckmann’s The Beginning?
– Chaos and control in the living room
– Puss in Boots takes one for the team
– Future fantasies behind a window