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5-1-1984

The Vitality of portraiture Diana Smolenski

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ROCHESTER

A

Thesis

The

INSTITUTE

Submitted

College

of

to

TECHNOLOGY

the

Faculty

Fine

and

Applied

for

the

Degree

in Candidacy

MASTER OF

The

OF

Vitality

FINE

of

Diana

Date:

Arts of

ARTS

Portraiture

By Smolenski

May 1,

1984

of

APPROVALS Advisor: Fred Meyer

ylii!rll-

Date: Associate Advisor:

Philip M. Bormarth

Associate Assistant to the Dean For Graduate Affairs: Fred Meyer

cDa te/: -

..

Iv I/-

----'"~'--f-,lt......a5"

Dean, College of Fine & Applied Arts: Robert H. Johnston Ph.D Date:

27/s-JlqJ.f r I

I, , hereby (grant, deny) permission to the Wallace Memorial Library of RIT, to reproduce my thesis in whole or in part. Any reproduction will not be for commercial use or profit. OR

k. ~O\VAS~'{

I, J)JMtiA ,prefer to be contacted each time a request for production is made. I can be reached at the following address.

Date:

-j...-..;..-~

Mr.

Matthews tilted his head little to one side, like a bird. "The thing I like about them," he said, "is the way a

you've

look

it

was

about

is

a

man

'

-

a

we

-

not

alto

today.

to

be

to

about

more

don

I

-

belonging ought

timeless

been

said?

that how

catch

belonging

not you

gether

There

to

managed

of

something Not

woman. '

ve

always

present-minded.

t know

the

what

.

.

.

matter

today,"

he said, "In my opinion, they lack some quality which they used to have some quality of timelessness which made them with

women

sighing.

-

seem

to

belong

to

Something

once.

all

ages

Jennie."

of

lives

They

am

on

a

painter

I

canvas. me

make

hours

life

offers

buses,

streets,

diners

simply and

by

love

they fascinate mannerisms

in cafes,

I have

me.

and

expres

them much of what

through

watching

people.

(particularly

uncomfortable

their

absorbed

recording

say that I

not

however,

observing

have

I

sions.

and

faces,

of

people,

would

nervous

in large crowds); spent

of

"Portrait

Nathan,

-Robert

I

at

eternal.

them

by

pass

parks,

me

barrooms,

on and

.

I visual

interested in

am

imagery

My

concern

to

seek

a

is

and not

higher

Reality,

defined

stitutes

the

external

revealing

merely level

by

state

world

describing

that

are

quality

House of

through

to

others.

reality,

transcends

Random

exists

they

duplicate

to

which

the or

who

people

but

reality.

Dictionary,

being

real,

independently

of

the per-

con

Everyone

ception.

from

ferently

ing

regard

upon

I

common give

be

to

all

way to

about

would

to

to

which

truths.

own

in mind,

draw and

concepts

identify

it is my intent to

will

certain

specific

If

I

subjects,

forces

dif

world

which

their

form

like

portraits

universal

determined,

with

perceive

ideas

their

conclusions.

attitudes

and

his

With this

another.

be examining the artists

perceives

the

elements

appearance

such

elements

explore

and

to can

write

them.

Stein, The Random House Dictionary of The (Ballantine Books, New York, English Language, 744. 1978) , p. Jess

3 There

the

is

successful one

which

communicates

life.

of

ongoing

process

replicas

life, Life

and

from

a

harsh

is

a

of

solace.

"The

misfortune who

are

more

the

Dutch

his

work

an

revenge

experienced

need

to

"...became

love

associations

and

and

poverty

and

with

life.

veal

and

David

pain

His

to

R.

life

art

3

and

vital

console.

Cheney

the

was

due

him

sweet

in every

observe

others

the

to

to

in

solve

take

failures

an

Gogh,

sorrow"

order

torn,

his

he had

unbalanced, a

desperate

cravings

for

human

release

in painting

capable

of

to

a

possess

Rembrandt,

Steven

if his

as

Vincent Van

in

led

cruel,

portrayals

"serious

"His

images

and

to

2

experienced

art

Even

stems

portraiture.

is

for He

Gogh

in his

feeling

offers

was

its deepest Van

This

It's

we."

he

loved.

be

found 4

of

truth.

reveal

painter

which

healing

consolation

sought a

the

honest

such

than

life."

in his

women."

men

by

domain

tragic

painfully

is

to

affliction

unfortunate

the

in

through

effective

every

conflict

in

that

fortunate

Impressionist, and

inner

most

and

said

existence.

less

those

painting

been

united.

own

continuous,

than

are

his

the

the

more

seems

depicts

of

them

truth

who

attitude

makes

whole

mankind

This

on.

represent

has

It

which

attitude

understanding

the

of

artist of

some

burning desire

existence

victim

taken

which

life.

of

selfish,

The

life

of

it

art

specific

Portraits

in art,

as

a

has

portrait

meaning

mere

be

to

appears

conveying

personal

power

a

one

Sanders,

of

The

battle to

re

the

Meaning

Life, (Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jeresy, 1980), p. 26. (Leon Amiel Publishers, Frank Elgar, Van Gogh, New York, New York, 1975), p. 1. Daniel Catton Rich, Van Gogh, Paintings and Drawings , (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 8. New York, 1949), p. of

4 great

masters

in his

time,

of

all

as

Rembrandt

sought

realizations

such

work.

"...

aged

experienced

and

the

reality of emotion instead of merely studying its surface signs, he used his face to convey a deeper meaning, pitilessly

portraying the slow ruin of his own flesh, reflecting the tides of skepticism and courage, melancholy through him. In so universal.

does

It

despair,

of

the

his

seem

not

portrait

friend

and

deeply

This

is

the

Edouard

tragedy

Degas

live

with

us

particularly

Halevy

of

wrote

Degas. what

through

bereavement

of

The

.

feelings

that

me

occurs

doubt but

no

the

moved

to

Daniel

artist.

life

coursed

captured

should

regret,

companion

"There his

out

he

surprising

lifetime.

our

that

calm

"5

perhaps

throughout with

...

and

doing

thing

remarkable

is that this emotion never lessened. When he was very old I saw Degas travel across the whole of France to attend the funeral an

to

metaphysical

old

his

expanded

feel

all as

is

there

suffering;

it

Alice

siders

herself

7 ness.

for

makes

how

Neel,

what

I'm

his

and

at

but

all

given

grief

emotions

a

a

attained

not

contemporary

great

it.

prefer

solitary,

isolated

My

of

misery,

soothes

the

battered

artist

who

con

put

souls,

being

feeling;

figures

it this

world

alone.

lends

work

We've

and

thing in the of

afraid

sometimes

often

and

pain

individual.

depression,

sadness,

a

for

said

stronger

collector

the

be

to

it may seem,

as

soul.

"You know

not

was

speculation,

mind

something

experienced strange

He

level. "6

higher

a

I

friend.

of

In

itself set

is?

way. Loneli-

fact, to

I

this

strictly

Rembrandt, (Time Life York, 1968) , p. 7. York, Books, Inc., Friend Daniel Halevy, My Degas, (Wesleyan Univer sity Press, Middletown, Connecticut, 1964), p. 26. "Alice Neel", Art Forum, 1983, p. 41. Ted Castle, Robert

Wallace,

New

The

World

of

New

5 within

space, The

place.

portraits

forthright

est,

perhaps

they

overly to

seem

Charles

They

Baudelaire,

French

poet

wonderful

and

indication

of

time

for

themselves

in

an

They

a

extension

century

critic,

felt,

"It

of

that

artistically expressed,

and

pain,

seems

The

endure.

has

condition

ing

of

life.

quiet

to

loom

over

us,

feel

its of

attained

that

removed

trols and

the

spirit

weaknesses,

cess

is

a a

discover

who

The

I

artist

who

be

lived

experience

mean

becoming I

am

release,

"...the

of

art,

by

overwhelmed

This

experience

felt

courage

work

carried

advantage

self-

life,

with a

own

a

completing

to

emotion of

my

vulnerabilities.

for

me

level

a

con

strengths

The

pro

which

allowing

me

to

am.

chooses

izes his destiny from the

M.G.

the

meaning,

I

emotional

really

of

will

his

of

When

revealing

strong

accept

level

must

our

enormous

his

life

takes

of

of

another

soul-searching

provides

and

period

intensity.

and

to

after

working,

emotional

an

understanding

from reality, While

presence. extreme

9

reminder

us

learns

who

despairing

vulnerability."

and

I

person

feeling

artist's

stylized

when

Although

a

instills in

Leslie,

had

work

it

a

those

horrible,

if

with

Alfred

his

the

mind

some

during

one

joy."8

gained

portrait

is

the

doomed existence, to

loneliness.

nineteenth

art

loneliness

my

quality

great

of

fill

of

hon

however,

intriguing

mysterious, an

or

and

stark,

the

privileges

patterned,

blunt,

are

in their candidness;

obvious

are

no

or

speak

manner.

possess

them.

about

little

with

to

portray

start.

life

According

real

to

Alice

Dortu

Inc.,

and Phillippe Huisman, Toulouse-Lautrec Impressionists, (Doubleday and Company Garden City, New York, 1971), p. 38.

Frank

H

The

Great

Goodyear

Jr , Contemporary American , 1960, (New York Graphic Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 1981), p. 64. Realism

.

Since

.

,

"I

Neel, well,

it

often

say that

life."

knows

is

He

out.

He

I'm

it

accepts

a

serving is

and

here

sentence prepared

to

aware

of

time

and

its

limitations

that happiness

is

fleeting

and

only

is

happy

a

carry and

temporary

state.

"...no his

happiness

long

appointed

dismasted. it is

been

happy

or

as

a

second whether

in

not

present

at

"11

that

so

fail

to

to

terms

called

of

"Blue

a

cherries

on

and

and

of

is

now

and

early

seem

on

discovers

shallow

blind

are

an

he has has

which

Schopenhauer

people and

place,

succession

this

"happy"

engraved

life

a

moments

with

grasp reality

lilacs

shipwrecked

the

merely

comes

however,

rule,

one

-Arthur

He

and

attains,

In

transient end.

seldom

strives

supposed

all

consisted

an

a

harbour

enters

however,

but

after

it is only to be dis

it;

with

finally

and

he

which

if he does

even

he

man

life

whole

to

cinnamon

the

for

they

truth.

colored

ivory forest happy people.

occur

Great only in the minds of ladies in gowns with cherry blossoms in their hair can only be seen when you look Dark walls and daggers are very closely far more easily found, and awakening to life can be very -

gray."

Durrssen,

-Michelle

I

agree

seldom

less,

see

I

this,

with a

portrait

have

painted

is disturbing able

in

trapped The

its

and

it

and

unsettling,

and

not

must

fix

a

10.

Castle,

Cheney

p. and

is

It

pose

a

you

(Neverthe .

It

feel uncomfort moment

remembrance.

conveys

34-35,

that

occasion)

one

lasting

which

pp.

on

temporary

41.

Sanders,

reason

smiling.

making

of

one

or

this

figures

smiling

presence.

11.

for

grinning

in time

artist

is

"In

Summerhill."

side

a

sense

of

7 permanence,

and

he

paint

does

more

not

subtle

which

human predicament.

and

character

I

its

others,

at

veal

the

whoever

of

"I

or

felt

understand

a

roamed

strength

from the

ordi

sense

tragedy

in everyone,

life,

by

life's

if

such

loneli

and

than

more

which

essential

himself have

must

wist-

sentiments

mankind

it is

vitality

and

some

These all

and

truths

that

lends

of

melancholy,

another.

such of

a

which

shared

about

understanding

have

loss, despair,

of

raised

truths

portrays

them

it is

that

portrait

time

truth

possess

pensiveness,

those

universal

and

separates

Feelings

one

these

as

the

unique.

the

looks

and

are

an

to

image.

fulness

the

which

discovering

am

transmitted

ness

centuries

making them

nary,

to

for

faces

So

eternity.

better describe

which

Such

an

but instead those

smiling faces,

expressions

the universe

last for

will

I

live

to

wanted

life,

meaning of look for it,

I

grasped

and

ought

not among those naturally to had lost the meaning of life and wanted to kill themselves, but among those billions departed and living men who had been carry

who

ing men, that

their -

not

masses

deceased

of

learned

and

wealthy,

lived

or

had

lived,

ceptions, and that I

did

not

fit

could

understanding themselves

prising

put

the

it

all

into my

question,

Nor

Epicureans,

because

as

were

composed

suffering

than

rather

Cheney

and

because they it with sur

could

I

recognize

their

privations

of

enjoyment

Sanders,

ex

subdivisions, them as not

.

p.

lives and

"12 -Leo

12.

simply

rare

answered

and

clearness.

them

but

with

recognize

not

living

and

20.

Tolstoy

re

that

meaning.

the

are

8

is

It and

struggled,

deur, the

that

clear

and

better

can

people

he paints,

Oskar

we

experience

it.

His

the

them, of

world

paintings

artist, and

who

the

required

have

as

document,

the

as

emergence

is

however,

strike

sons

unknown,

we

if

somehow

to

tear

on

in the back

about our

deep

ourselves

them

to

related

our

intrigues

attention

do

symbolize

we

see

so

our

own

I

the

artist's

well

the

attitudes

towards

13.

his

Dr. ough pp.

like

choice

which

subject

matter,

7-8.

find

Could

existence,

Spielmann,

Gallery Inc.,

to

What

so?

developed

Heinz

in

from

in

one

life

with

by

of

an

and

as

question

at

why is

it

and

For

us?

hand,

rea

faces

these

as

it difficult us

and

is

linger and

what

it that holds

it be that they in

and, now

to

subject

each

of

begin

ex

matter

develop between unbiased

them,

as

them.

attitude

transforming traditional

Oskar

New

portraiture

Why is this,

minds.

Degas

Edouard

con

like

who,

character,

They haunt

would

amining

one

within

and

fiercely?

ourselves?

as

them

us

of

and

phrase

The

attached

away.

of

a

subjects,

chords

become

of

canvas.

these

are

such

on

that

life depicted

the

use

revelation

life

of

who

they

the

to

fact

datum

spectator,

with

are.

understanding

been drawn to

always

the

a

to

key a

they

it."

actively participating in People

as

that vision

"to become

letters,

s

as

gran

feeling in

and

just

only

meant

is prepared,

who

is

suffered

to

solitude

recognized

world

was

has

who

power

for he

identify

could

Kokoschka'

the

him this

To

into the

the

artist

prefers

Kokoschka

sciousness. sight

who

capture

It was can

the

Kokoschka

York,

New

,

York,

(Marlbor

1981),

themes of

and

replacing them

everyday life.

He

bathing, creating

concern

the quality

same

time,

a

woman

ing

What

and

yawning,

the

modern

body skirt

I

like

is how he

work

gestures

her

with

primary

consciously

illusion

an

unmemo-

of

aware

life

and,

life

without

at

the

it.14

Degas'

"casual"

ordinary

capture

distorting about

of

scenes

women

of

His

poses.

the viewer

and

images

unforgettable

to make

was

fascinating dancers

painted

facts, using informal

rable

of

with

a

with

table,

over

a

of

dancer.

admire

crossed or

an

much

human figure

the

of

so

the more

exploited

movements

girl

a

and

leaning

arms

attendant

images

These

adjust

are

abso

lutely delightful. By studying we

learn

women.

fully

much

about

his

attitude

Manet

chose

his

sitters

and

working women,

intentionally,

women

who

and

earned

waitresses,

"By as

Edouard Manet's

and

of

toward

society

and

many

their

models,

subjects

and

care

independent

were

freedom

as

kept

barmaids.

presenting

women

in

a

new

light,

intelligences instead

active

autonomous,

choice

he also discovered the flinched no more from the challenge of her strength than she averted her gaze of defiance from any who would render her less than equal. "15 of

passive

modern

bodies,

woman;

Manet

Toulouse-Lautrec His

paintings

who

resided

found

it.

as

14.

Keith

Roberts,

Inc.,

Oxford,

Barbara p.

717.

of

the Moulin

life

15.

he

consisted

at

also

was

Rose,

a

Rouge,

,

England,

fond

generation

Lautrec

Degas

very

where

was

(E.P.

never

Dutton

1976),

pp.

"Manet's Challenge".

of

ladies

of

he

women.

recorded

at

ease

and

Company,

5-11.

Vogue,

1983

10

painting

professional

genuinely

flowed

rations

once

exclaimed,

looks!

us

be

such

lies but

see,

see

one

simply in

or

not

but

I

a

it

which

'

recognize

one

to

see

teaches

beauty,

desires

are."

17

This

qualities

is

aloof

the

clothing

me

or

and

is

char strikes

who

Something just

intrigues

to

is,

that

-

hidden It

sensation.

be the

for me,

of

and

what

they

ripe

ability to

shy disposition

right

how

pose

s

spirit

as

appreciate.

could

think

selves

to

exactly

It

eye.

the

Lautrec

And

to

woman

young

characters

learning

strangely

triggers

and

off

most

the

with

her

get

things

appreciate

I

girl,

in choosing only

not

and

factory

sultry

of

inspi

a

Lautrec

in his

warmth

quite

which

acter

my

could

wonderful."

intuitive ability

me

I

only

a

when

only

passing

fantastic!

she

"...the universality

which

to

If

would

convey

"Isn't

as

was

that his

subject

While

hair dressed

auburn

that

a

freely.

with

she

by

captivated

it

and

models,

little

a

catches of

style

dress,

is mostly the way they handle them

gains

Some

attention.

my

people

are

totally fascinating.

ject

The

artist

and

relates

grown

to

him

between

life

holds to

his

two

which

depiction

the

artist

in communicating

lifting it

scending

reality

another

deeper

consciousness

16.

Dortu

and

Dortu

and

accounts

step

from

its

in

an

which

Huisman, Huisman,

The

attempt

will

p.

23

p.

46

for

assists

universal

context,

to

true

This

artist

tran

strives

perceive

effect

all

sub

has

the

its

further usual

his

A bond

portrays.

canvas.

onto

reality

17.

one

for

respect

predicament.

the

meaning,

for

certain

a

a

mankind.

11

Vincent Van Gogh appearances

his

intelligence

own

is merely

ance

fragile

an

hidden behind

remain

weaknesses,

when

world

shell

beneath.

surface

Secret

smiling

In

a

letter to his brother Theo,

"I

feel

ers

I

weavers)

draw

could

unaware person

life,

used was

he

color

color

sought

certain

colors,

mood

describe

The

predominate

ecution. shapes color

tones I'm

The

and

Elgar, Elgar,

20.

Rich,

colors

shadows)

is based

19.

until

an

p. p. p.

on

18. 23. 9.

an

by

a

share.

happy if

way

to

as

of

the

express

never

very to

is

...

alone

in

evolve

themselves.

intuitive

can

.through

im

a

the

set

tend

I

certain

to

project

people

suggest

of

passions

very

person.

late

best

served

color

which

tragedy

passion.

meanings

Some

a

sensitive

overly

over

colors

seem

a-

charcoal-burn

'the terrible

define

or

however,

and

well.

these

and

all

myself

ultimately

use

as

work

to

means

convey

softly blended

will

18.

to

20

in my

airiness;

Gogh,

states

emotional

portant

use

a

which

color

humanity'."

or

as

we

us

these

hitherto practically

public

Van

make

such

brooded continuously

who

symbolize

a

19

(the

in

it is

and

Vincent wrote,

think

should

characters

to

them."

of

"....it

of

such

them known

make

and

the

vulnerabilities

conditions

sympathy for them

much

and

the

Appear

protects

which

of

and

cultivated

according to

faces,

acknowledged,

other

a

which

ware

each

of

imitate

sensibility."

and

outer

tastes the

recreate

"not to

picture

humour the

or

but to

society,

the

used

to

certain

which

colors

canvas'

ex

a

(as do the

My

selection

reasoning.

In

of

fact,

12 when

from black

working

forced to be

never some

invent my too

sure

and

own

an

one

to

effort

I

photographs, An

colors.

himself;

of

spontaneity in

white

artist

to

needs

am

should maintain

discover the im

possible.

While a

studying portraiture,

have discovered

I

definite relationship existing between

subject. whole

picture

link between well.

work

ficial

continuous

subject

of

for

concern

a

it truly is,

as

to

According

"...a

his

is

There

art

or

and

a

be

personal

present

as

famed caricaturist,

evidence

subject;

involvement in the

and

depict the

to

strong,

must

Levine,

contain

his

with

but

artist

David

must

need

artist

the

of

super

conversely,

itself

subject

artist's

in

cannot

p1 view

produce

The

artist

jects to the his

friends

the

few

a

good

involved himself

has

extent

that he

his

family.

and

women

artists

era,

repeatedly

She,

like Degas,

used

to

Her

choice

subject

nieces

nephews)

a

particular

22

Alfred

the

who

they

amd

usually

women

felt

shares

sub are

one

in her

formal

family

intimacy

Leslie

his

of

Impressionistic

models

accepted

she

them;

Post

same

and

with

Mary Cassatt,

matter

girls,

and

achieve

them. them.

young

the

knows

depict only

preferred of

of

rarely

and

children,

painting."

pictures.

commissions

friends.

consisted

(particularly allowed

and

this

her

kind

her

to

familiarity same

of

with

of

an

idea, "It

21.

was

subjects

that

subjects

that

Thomas

S.

matter

of

my trying to

find

are generally discredited have, perhaps, been treated -

Buechner, The Arts of David Levine, Knopf Inc., New York, New York, 1978) , pp. ix-x. E. John Bullard, Mary Cassatt, (Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, New York, 1972) , pp. 18 (Alfred A.

22.

a

and

68.

13

falsely by that

were

lot

a

part

of

-

of

other

painters, subjects of the literature to take them and try to find and

parcel

painting truth in those subjects. I think there are truths in old people, truths to be seen in babies, nursing mothers, children, and fam I may not be the one who is able ily life. to do it, but I think those subjects, inher And if I can't do ently are fine subjects. it, then I hope that some quality of the ef fort that I make can be passed on to some one

else

ing

at

lytical values

may have

who

it,

maybe

more

to make

strengths of

better way

a

with

everyday life,

look

of

skills,

ana

more

the

convincing

including family

life. "23 This

is

with

daily.

important issue

an

I

paint

associated

or

criticized

for

ing

a

subject

traits

agree

a

quality

fact

The

these

subjects

These

people which

that

as

vealing

testaments to

artist

reaches

of

of

life

and

fa

and

upon

expand

pets, can

be

as

re

well

as

celebrations

and

allow

the

understand

close

re

affections,

explore

life.

self-portraits.

as as

evolu

husbands,

and

mothers

and

every with

own

my

por

quality.

family

wives

family

stand

creat

to

out

this

enhance

contemporary

of

in

feel my

I

extension

even

been

have

I

desire

this.

to

artist

Such paintings

closely

personally involved

personal

the

am

irrelevent to the

grandchildren,

artist's of

doing,

is

portraits

and

in-laws,

thers,

as

an

I

so

which

am

represents

"These

the

I

confronted

whom

selfish

with

only helps

serve

children

a

am

with

In

which

not

possess

one.

tion

to.

exploiting matter

do

I

public.

persons

related

I

which

lationships. "24 -Alfred

A artist

23.

union

and

John

24.

commitment

subject.

Arthur,

western

of

and

Art

Congress,

Goodyear,

p.

"The

Leslie

is

established

interaction between

Realism/Photo

Association

Tulsa, 67.

between

and

Realism, John

Oklahoma,

(The South

Arthur

1980)

art-

p.

Library 13.

14

ist

and

plex

that produces

sitter

and

artists

sometimes are

for

interpretation in their

with

the

of

signs

inance, on

such

to

shock

I

tried

play the

sort

of

psychological

Oskar Kokoschka I

portrait,

externals

of

am a

history

of

to

matters

felt,

not

person

his clerical or secular his social origins. It is

or

business

a

the

com

a

Many

some

work.

paint

concerned

is

portrait

process."25

mysterious

searching

"When I

a

-

em-

the transmit documents

to

What

posterity.

used

in my portraits was that intuit from the face, from its

people

to

expressions, and from gestures, truth about a particular person, and of

in my own pictorial language distillation of a living being that would survive in memory. "26 to

recreate

the

Kokoschka pressed

was

here

Veronica

capable

during

"...she though

her

great,

this

picture,

Alice

own

Grace New

in my

if I had a premonition that -7 later." in an asylum a few years the

twentieth

painters

deal

which

the

past

Glueck, Times

26.

Spielmann,

p.

27.

Spielmann,

p.

of

most

Neel

"Revival

had

of

the

of

raw,

has

and

ex

sorrow

sympathetic

suffered

1983,

one

the

She

pain,

strong,

Magazine, 15. 15.

for

subject.

evokes

is

century,

grief,

por

significant

looks

who

in her

truths

great

York

It

madwoman.

the

life

composed,

expressed

of

In

feelings.

a

I

of

psychological

a

of

that

one

favorite

perienced

think

Neel,

artists

and

obviously faraway, and eyes, gazing into nothing

feeling be

calm

were

sad

as

would

she

25.

Emma

Doctor

strangely dis Al sitting for me.

surface

me

made

ness,

in her

a

ex

seemed

was

she

the

on

thoughts

most

with

sitting

always

when

her

was

my

a

truth,

Sanders.

tracted

trait

unveiling the

of

two

Portrait", p.

57.

nerv-

The

15

breakdowns,

ous

death has

of

infant daughter,

an

sustained

lovers.

several

hold

I

a

has

recently

now

eighty-four,

people.

ing

life utterly,

is

however, are

you

when

is

to

it

wasn't

I

personality.

they

what

their

are

sition

often

from

the

are

I

me

grew

to

and

which

dislikes,

characters."

obstinate possess

a

may as

29 a

a

you

painter.

since grow

up

I

me.

subconsciously, I

a

am,

consistent

that

recognize

start,

am

what

have

world

what

ever

within

of

important,

decided to

I

continuing my reading

discovered and

sights

with

off

they

are

for

account

well

I

as

their and

agree,

stubborn

dispo

myself.

While

her

seem

is

artist;

artists

accept

in the

Unconsciously,

have been told that I

often

they

that

whole,

likes

an

slowly became

and

They

steadfast

strong,

work

the

you

am

choice.

it,

believe

to

they feed on

person

It

who

Neel,

or

life.

of

something

something

"On

painter.

woman,

they feed

else

has been

which

the

given

this

feed

either

or

I I

It wasn't

drawn to

was

fate.

born.

are

was

various

life

of

Every

something

be,

They

struggle

and

with

exists."

accept

childhood.

marriage

important to talk

off

like me,

in the

engaged

to

It

it

for

the

ward,

recognition.

it is

negating life

that

and

feed

either

of

suicidal

broken

a

respect

fame

feels

off

a

relationships

great

gained

"They

denying

to

confinement

enormous

think.

come

to

Neel

her,

She

come.

Castle,

29.

Avis

1983,

she

does of

Later,

not

I

Neel,

in the way

that while

thinking

working.

Alice

we

both

painting,

know

from

anything,

however,

36. "When Artists Grow Old", 81.

and

in

where

it is

Neel

p.

Bermin, p.

says,

but

stops

subconscious

28.

similarities

on

Art

News,

16 that when

says

thing

while

Bits

and

this

how,

way,

some

is

It

on

lights,

if

as

with

an

and

I

abstract

the

Most

Alex

big-league New York

good

resemble

portrait

the

modern

painting

out

new

want."

to

31.

I or

strike

occupied

30.

ideas.

31

subject

style

am

Castle, Glueck,

form With

The

minor

most

overly a

strong

p.

37-38 55.

he

I

am

entranced

however,

their

the

art.

likeness

but

por

relates

you

is

it

with

"In

society

portrait,

is

own

follows.

as

of

sub

whose

the painting

part

lose

their

painter

resemblance, who

I

extend

concerned

perfect

describing

pp.

a

if

artists,

to

take

as

and

feels

of

working darks

pleasing

opposed

itself.

not

very

with

as

the

or

capturing a

and

billboards,

painting,

trait,

with

more

garment.

and

is

It

to

paintings

canvas.

folds begin to

the

them

a

sometimes

drapery

jects, using ,

one

portrait

explore

on

some

much

moment,

good

is

to,

it down

with

Although very

quality.

a

force me

subject's

sizes,

for

subject

associa

take

am

the

of

and

with

can

concerned

Katz

previous

liberties

subject,

of

feeling

connected

put

less

they

re

regress.

unconscious

are

say

pale

flashbacks

information, forcing

portions

forms.

and

and

usually

portrait.

shapes

the

these

by

hate

any

interactions I've had

and

portions

almost of

a

the

with

Manipulating

sight

of

thoughts wonder,

surface,

do

surprising the

hypnotized by

an

"I

similar

reminisce,

convey this

working

concerned

is

a

travels,

are

to

conversations, It

share

past

my

have

and

all

on

of

thoughts

gathering

and

mind

recollect,

pieces

subject.

while

My

to

subject

the

I

These

tions,

herself.

and

of

begin

occur.

the

subject

doesn't think

she

paints,

people."30

painting.

I

and

the

except

flections

she

try

can

they

what

the

pleasing of

him.

seem

through

to

I

try

more

pre

color

and

17 use

of

space.

brilliant

tones, and

cool

large, to

to

for

direct,

portrait

can

particularly

which

Neel

the

personalities

usually

is

the

prefers

ventional-looking toward

myself

I

self

I

when

was

choice

subject

artist

of

sub

looks

one

reveal

through their

struggle

life.

of

This

faces.

conventionally

like

to I

people.

else.

if the

problems

someone

everyone

impinge

or

who

and

attitude

subject,

expression.

don't

I

influence

in his

viewer

the

with

the

with

reveal

their

make

and

subtle

to

artist

on

over

forces the

specific

trauma

can't

beautiful,

a

sitters

written

"I

present

and

combined

to

selective

There

allows

times,

space,

else

The

matter.

at

mysterious

immediate terms

little

with

on

This,

of

interpretation.

Alice

is

areas

his

not

ject

vibrant

times.

other

him

leaving

is

at

take

colors and

selective

come

upon

My

that

never

younger

paint

con

have the same I have toward to

wanted

because

paint

I

was

my pretty

and soft with a regular, I boring face. didn't think my spirit was what I looked like. When I went to art school, it worried me that I didn't have a strong nose or chin. I didn't look like my work, just as Casals looked like somebody's grocer. "33

When

I

choose

quality For

which

this

than

men.

They

are

as

of

32.

33.

I

feel

better

at

in their

have women

them.

an

image

continuously

Goodyear, Goodyear,

a

p.

73

p.

73,

facial

tendency

Men

their

and

are

to

a

paint

more

do

not

emotions

as

well

more

for

women

men

have,

concerned

maintaining

mistaken

spiritual

expressions.

wisdom

a

possess

expressing

with

upholding

stone

I

reason,

reasoning

with

resides

for

look

I

subjects,

my

that

strength.

facade A

woman's

18 vulnerabilities

better

the

Each

The

painting I do is

image, however,

liminary onto

before

studies

including the

image

for

which

give

through

a

process

is my

a

tons

to

way

well

as

gazes,

of

fairly

person

have

reveal

something

to

Alex

Katz,

.

removes

is

from

me

perfect;

entirely the

large

a

not

scale

in the

information.

the

and

posture.

who

express

You

in their eyes,

look

gestures

to

The

eyes

by themselves, they

out

I

where

concerned

primarily

and

cam

torso.

upper

and

and

must

they

are.

Neel, is

"Expressionism the

toward

is

the

of

things

terior

-

say that or

when

an

to

render

the

including

-

but

all

could

things

all

are

paints

she

empty chair,

content

Alfred

one

so

appearances; ual

People

she

is

embodied

Leslie's

a

she

-

as

their

a

in to

things

are

things

are

just

as easily 'people'. of

vase

is

not

exposing

by

It

surface

people

depths,

their

of

artist,

'alive'

Even

world,

reality.

meanings.

an

such

attitude

an

toward

attempt

revelation

34.

Close,

from

themselves

of

artists

particularly

from

gridded

many

emotion

as

finally

not

am

well

be brought

People

I

it all,

tell

they

is

Pre

by

head

the

what

are

to

actual

canvas.

create

and

photograph.

to

used

I

a

from the

this way

own

with

it

Chuck

figure up

expressions

read

before

likeness

The

confronted

with,

for

make

from

removed

transferred

made

is

blow the

mostly

can

twice

feel working

I

the I

facial

For

are

photograph.

era's.

which

extracted

William Beckman,

others.

however,

is

being

This

canvas.

many

strengths,

portrait.

photograph

am

her

are

flowers

recording the spirit

appearances

portraits

are

.

"34

monumental

in

size.

Paintings by Three Amer of Art, Sylvia Sleigh ican Realists: Alice Neel May Inc., Stevens , Artists Publications, (Visual

Everson Museum

-

-

Syracuse,

New York,

1976),

p.

7.

19 He

uses

them

to

you.

He

demand

the

people,

has

the

with

a

a

way

of

aimed

to

recognition

there

where

than

sense

as

person

-

scale,

impact

on

the

actually

the

it

removes

seclusion

takes

begins

to

transcend

giving

all

the

halo

and

and

tions

and

as

we

experience

is

essential

of

hardships

other.

35. 36.

It

is

about

should

be

it

life

that

the

we

up

of and

sensitive

to

truths.

and

women

who

have

of

life,

and

who

Goodyear, p. Rich, p. 10.

artist's

75

a

smaller

subject, and

world.

This

quality

which

truths,

universal

"to

paint

eternal

which

longed the to

seek

they

essence

give

by

actual

3 fi

not

of

the

about

just

than

true

human

outside

who

universal

the

the

of

to more

artist

on

the

on

who

and

made

within

do

majestic

and

portrayals

himself

men

of

This

revealing

color."

and

tone."35

heavenly

Gogh

other

psychological

of

something

available

honest

revealing

in those the

art

in

rest

the

symbolize

be

This

is

that

at

its environment,

of

reality,

specific

looked

I

strong

spiritual,

vibration

should open

rest

across

unequivocal

which

zeroes

Vincent Van

to

few.

ditions

It

a

from the a

and

didatic

even

portraits

with

used

Art

is

great

women

radiance

that

on

It was

and

which

figure,

viewer.

it from the

possess.

"pictures

nothing to be

earnestly hope has

alienates

men

was

point

individual

of

moral,

isolating

I

make

his

straightforward,

persuasive of

"throwing"

humanity

select

representa

predicament

these and

truths

suffered are

a

ourselves.

depicts

These

life

art,

and

accepting

responsibility

to

It

con

capable exist

endured of

each

transcend

20 reality,

images

rather

that

nificence, own.

than

special

putting

replicate

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