Look carefully at the image above, a painting from the late 19th century. In a “comment” below, tell me any of the following
details you can guess from the painting and the way it is painted:
- Who is this woman?
- Why is she here?
- What is she thinking?
- How does the painter feel about
her?
- Is she an important woman? Or someone no one would notice?
- What kind of woman is she—either her
class/station in life, or her demeanor (is she nice; is she a bitch?)
- What was the artist trying to say in
general with a portrait like this?
In other words, why paint it?
Kendall Dobbs:
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it, but I see this woman as a complete snob. I'm guessing she is of 'noble' birth. Since she is looking down at the artist, it seems to say that she thinks she is better than him/her. Her posture seems to be pretty perfect! But she seems to use it more as a weapon rather than just a product of a proper upbringing. Her demeanor seems to be a weapon because she is using it to make those around her feel inferior. She is riding in an OPEN carriage in the MIDDLE of winter. This seems to say to me that she craves attention from anyone and everyone.
I think that the artist is trying to paint the typical stereotype of the upper class during that time period. Maybe he is trying to show that money isn't the answer to everything? This woman seems to have it all, yet she is lonely and rude. I think that the painter feels sorry for her ... almost like he wants to tell her that there is more to life than the social class we belong to. Regardless of if this was the artist's intention or not, I do feel sorry for her for two main reasons; 1) life without relationships would be depressing and 2) it is probably really cold in that carriage!
Dakota Breeze:
ReplyDeleteThis woman in the painting looks like she thinks her crap does not stink. She looks like she is looking down upon any who see this painting. I think that this woman thinks she is better than everyone else. The reason I think she thinks this is because she looks like an Aristocrat. As for the reason on why this was painted, I am going to have to say that the painter was paid. That or to show the other working class citizens, who earn everything they get, how snobby the rich are.
Nesha Pickens:
ReplyDeleteHow she is dressed and how straight she is sitting up would make me think she is rich and a complete snob due to the look on her face. Maybe she feels like she better than everyone and everyone else is beneath her. To me she could be thinking about how she may look in the portrait after the painter is done. The painter could also be thinking that if he doesn't make her look good he won't get paid.
Josh Coats:
ReplyDeleteShe appears to be of a higher class. I don't know why, but I think it's her feather that makes me think this. It's almost as if this portrait is a "selfie" of the 1800s, so to speak. She appears distant, like she takes these sort of pictures quite a lot. The painter went into great detail the woman's face so she must be of high degree. Her presence lacks warmth, so I'd say she's probably not the nicest woman to be around.
The woman in the painting seems to be a well-to-do European woman out-and-about the city. Perhaps she is shopping or attending an event or meeting. I imagine her thoughts are condescending, and the perspective of the painting makes the viewer feel as if they are being looked down upon. Her posture, clothing, and expression all indicate that she is an impressive woman. The painting serves as a reminding that powerful women exist in society, and the tone indicates that one should never stand in their way.
ReplyDeleteThis woman appears to be an upper class woman who seems to think she is above or better than others. Maybe its just the way she is looking down at the painter. I would say she is a wealthy woman but appears rather cold.
ReplyDeleteThis woman looks like a top notch lady who thinks no one is above her. In the picture you have her in these fancy clothing and the city in the background. Her whole body is basically covering the beautiful landscape in the background meaning she thinks she runs the city.
ReplyDeleteWeston Haynes:
ReplyDeleteI get this certain vibe from this woman that she is definitely of royalty. She appears to be a snobby lady with high class expectations. She looks down on the person painting the picture, which to me shows how she looks down on the middle and lower class of the estate she is from. The lady appears on a carriage, which is also a sign of how rich she is. I think that the only reason she is of any important relevance is because she is from a royal family. I believe that the painter painted the picture to show how rich people of that particular time more or so looked down upon the lower classes with disgust and ungratefulness.
Casey Bear
ReplyDeleteShe seems snobbish and rich. Nicely dressed on a cold day. She is a young woman, no kids and no cares. She is wanting her picture made but not too happy with herself, lack of confidence. She is alone and self absorbed but well known
Nikki Ennis
ReplyDeleteThis woman is definitely higher in station. This can be assumed by her attire (fine clothes made of fur), as well as the carriage she is "perched" upon. The upturn of her nose also contributes to my assumption of her class, as well as (possibly) her demeanor.
Zachary Martin
ReplyDeleteThis woman looks like she is royalty of some sort, believes she is better than the person who is painting her, and it appears she is traveling somewhere into town via stagecoach.
Aimee Elmore
ReplyDeleteI believe this women is from a higher class because of what she is wearing and the way she looks. She is looking down on the painter and she has this "I'm greater than thou" look to her.
Alaura Lackey
ReplyDeleteI believe this woman is very important and may be a writer, or author of some sort. She may be having this painting done for her article or book. I think the author values this woman and has respect for her. Her face almost has the look of her thinking that she is better than most. In this painting I think the author was trying to say "this woman IS somebody, but not somebody to mess with".
Shannon Southwell
ReplyDeleteThis lady looks like she is in the upper class in England. She looks like a real bitch, like the ones that are mean to their servants, and thinks she can do what ever she wants to do. She looks like she is someone very important, either that or very snobby person that thinks she is all that.
Amanda Hogue – HUM2123-01 MWF 11:00am
ReplyDeleteThis woman looks like, just from the painting, she is from noble class. Her obvious fur jacket, gold bracelets, royalty colored blue clothes, and mismatched hat (meaning it could have been an expensive imported accessory) all point to her having money. Other hidden details that point to her having wealth include her chubby face, people who had lots of money back then could afford excess food thus tend to be a little chubby or larger, her makeup looks expensive just because the consistency seems like its dust or powder giving her this complexion, and I don’t quite know what she is holding in her lap but the fur on it is very similar to her coat’s. The painter also paints her with having a higher class, she looks like she is looking down at you in the picture and her nose is pointed up like she doesn’t have time for your nonsense, she must hurry to her teaparty. The back ground looks like its photo-shopped or painted by a different painter, which could represent that she doesn’t belong where she is, like she is a queen in the slums or a younger sister whom may never get the crown. The buildings in the back do seem like they have a nice foundation and structure so this could be a classy town and she could be the mayor’s wife or spoiled daughter. I’ve never seen this woman before so I don’t know if she is some one of higher class stature or if she is just playing dress up, but this portrait does look very interesting on how it is painted and the details.
William Paul Sandy
ReplyDeleteI am not sure who this woman is. But given the period we are told is was created (late 19th century) I feel confident in assserting that she was someone of a higher social class. Common people rarely were afforded the luxory of self portraits during this era.Also, she is wearing ornate clothing and a gold bracelet that would not be wrn by someone of a lower social class at the time. As she sits in her buggy, the artist's view is looking up to her. This is an indication of how important the subject held herself to be in that she did not even dismount to come down to eye level with the artist. Given the blurred appearance of the background, I'm not sure it wasn't done hastily after our woman was completed since it wasn't the primary focus of the work.
The painter, I imagine, is intimidated by the woman in the painting. By the "scolding, i am better than you" look on her face i am going to guess she is wealthy, and a little on the ignorant side. Almost as if she cares for nobody but herself.
ReplyDeleteAlicia
Brittany Williams,
ReplyDeleteThis woman looks as if she is looking down on society making me think she would be royalty or is in the royal line. She looks as if she may think she is better then most society. The painter was wanting to perhaps paint a picture of a royalty.
Summer junek
ReplyDeleteThis woman with a distant forgin stare may be the wife of an imigrant or maybe a religious wife waiting for her husband. They may be on the move due to ressesion or have just immigrant ed into a new land.
Amory Morgan
ReplyDeleteThis woman has money I bet, and looks like a gold digger. Who marries men for their money and then kills them.
Knowing that she is Russian, I see her perhaps as the mistress of the Emperor. She is a woman untouchable by the masses, but not accepted into polite society. The empty seat represents her aloneness in the world while the richness of the carriage and her clothing indicate her privileged status. (Teresa B.)
ReplyDeleteI think that she is maybe a woman of high class and that she is looking down on people, maybe those she is looking down on happened to think that she wouldn't get to where she was through her hard efforts. (Janis F.)
ReplyDeleteI agree she is of a higher class but besides being a little snobby, she looks insecure and putting on a false demeanor. She is out and about in the city and alone at the moment and trying to look confident and unafraid, but it shows in her face she is a bit out of her element and uncomfortable
ReplyDeleteThe last comment was from me, Kay Shurtleff
ReplyDelete