Follow the link to find an unusual father-daughter project. A self-taught Australian photographer and his 5 year-old daughter team up to recreate classical portraits. Even on a much lesser scale, this would be a fun idea to do with young kids.
I wish she'd smile, just once. She almost smiles in the picture with a guitar in the background, which I suppose is Goya-esque, but even there she won't let go. A solemn soul.
See, I thought it girl with pearl earring, but when I went to get a copy of the real one, I think it's different. I don't think they'd have varied the headgear so radically. I've been known to be wrong.
They didn't smile in paintings back then, which is interesting. We smile now in photos to signal we are happy and well-adjusted, having a good time. Top of the world, ma (stretches face)! A painting takes longer. You can't maintain this fiction for the time it takes to paint. And apparently the fiction of smiling happiness wasn't recognized back then. To the extent there was smiling, it was the drunken sots who were doing it in paintings of that era.
Lovely photographs, inspired idea. The little girl portrays the emotions of the old paintings very well.
The photographer puts his own spin on some of the old masters, rather than reproducing them exactly. He titled this one, for instance, Girl without an Earring.
Way more than half of Vermeer's portraits are illuminated from a window on the left, with the girls faces infused in the natural light. The photo got that so right.
Girl with a Red Hat is illuminated from the right. She is darker and more worldly than many of the other girls. I saw that painting at the National Gallery in DC and was totally blown away, then, and since then every time I see a print of it.
Armatel, even in the early days of photography people didn't smile. I think not only because of the exposure time it took to for the picture to take, but because it also never occurred to them.
They didn't smile in paintings back then, which is interesting. We smile now in photos to signal we are happy and well-adjusted, having a good time. Top of the world, ma (stretches face)!
A painting takes longer. You can't maintain this fiction for the time it takes to paint. And apparently the fiction of smiling happiness wasn't recognized back then. To the extent there was smiling, it was the drunken sots who were doing it in paintings of that era.
Smiling is depicted in a lot of painted portraits, but it's often a subtler smile than the exaggerated smiles in contemporary photography.
Smiling with teeth exposed is unnatural and in the animal world often either a threat gesture or part of a submissive posture.
You're correct about the "drunken sot" theory- smiling, especially broad smiles and open mouths were often signifiers of low social status (servants, peasants, drunkards) or stupidity.
Dentistry and orthodontics were also not available back then. Is there any adult commenting here with a set of teeth they'd want to broadly expose to the public or record for posterity without the benefits of daily brushing and flossing, bi-annual cleaning, fillings, bridgework, caps, crowns, root canals and/or straightening? Beautiful teeth without dental work are a rarity, not a given.
Also, children from 5-12 tend to exhibit significant gaps due to tooth loss.
Smiling with teeth exposed is unnatural and in the animal world often either a threat gesture or part of a submissive posture.
Quite true and interesting that you know that last part...most people I run in to do not.
Here area paid of pictures of "Ari" and "Dera" at play, with "Ari's" dominance obvious but incorporated in to the play...Alpha versus Omega. All teeth, all play, with submission unquestioned by "Dera" but still happy to make faux-challenges...and "Ari" happy to meet them. No blood was ever shed in their 8+ years together...epitomes of joy.
My kids would have been howling, climbing walls and generally being impossible. Sort of like photographing the dog and they won't stay put so all the dog pictures are of a really big dog nose.
My kids wouldn't be rushing the camera but they would have never ever posed... it was hard enough to herd them together and stop moving long enough to all yell "cheesburger" and snap a photo.
(Admittedly, some dogs love posing for photos, too.)
They didn't smile because smiling makes people look touched. Silly people smile, unserious people, feeble minded. Children only if ever.
Children were mostly serious.
Nobody serious enough to have their portraits painted wanted to be depicted and remembered as simple. Certainly not nobility and not serious merchants. Religious people are serious.
Yes, they are, April. I'm referring to feeling there's something wrong if you don't smile. And Facebook Nation. And selfies (guilty). Were you ever told, 'you'll look prettier if you smile'?
In the late 70's, James Burke, wrote a book and produced a video series called "Connections", which changed the way I view history.
Burke contends that one cannot consider the development of any particular piece of the modern world in isolation. Rather, the entire gestalt of the modern world is the result of a web of interconnected events, each one consisting of a person or group acting for reasons of their own (e.g., profit, curiosity, religious) motivations with no concept of the final, modern result of what either their or their contemporaries' actions finally led to. The interplay of the results of these isolated events is what drives history and innovation...
Though not the only factor involved, I hold with dentistry as a major player in this change, since it freed people from the pain, shame and unsightliness of broken, decayed and missing teeth, along with the pervasive stench that accompanies rotting material in the mouth and diseased gums, and made it possible for people to open their mouths with less reserve and show off the wonders of healthy teeth as a markers of status, wealth and class.
Great point, MamaM. I look forward to watching the series.
I was considering something like this during the Crack discussion. There are so many contributing factors to the problems we face, and so many conflicting interests in how a solution will, or will not be, worked out. I guess not worked out, but ground out by clashing events and interests.
37 comments:
I was looking at this earlier today. Cute kid. Her dad did a good job recreating the lighting for the photographs (to match the paintings).
This is great. Amazing photographs, wonder where he got the costumes?
Great posing by the girl, although the write-up is incorrect. No one can out-shine a cat.
I wish she'd smile, just once. She almost smiles in the picture with a guitar in the background, which I suppose is Goya-esque, but even there she won't let go. A solemn soul.
Evi, the creation of the wall effect is amazing, also. Would look nice in a cottage.
rc is a cat person? The article says the clothes were made especially for her.
Ricpic, she seems to be suppressing a smile in the parakeet pic.
Can anyone directly name a painting they're imitating?
Girl with a pearl earring.
All of them.
At least it looks like that Vermeer.
See, I thought it girl with pearl earring, but when I went to get a copy of the real one, I think it's different. I don't think they'd have varied the headgear so radically. I've been known to be wrong.
It's more than one artist, but the author only mentions Vermeer and Rembrandt.
I'm not a "cat person" but I've lived with 'em.
Clothes made? Very well done.
They didn't smile in paintings back then, which is interesting. We smile now in photos to signal we are happy and well-adjusted, having a good time. Top of the world, ma (stretches face)!
A painting takes longer. You can't maintain this fiction for the time it takes to paint. And apparently the fiction of smiling happiness wasn't recognized back then. To the extent there was smiling, it was the drunken sots who were doing it in paintings of that era.
Lovely photographs, inspired idea. The little girl portrays the emotions of the old paintings very well.
The photographer puts his own spin on some of the old masters, rather than reproducing them exactly. He titled this one, for instance, Girl without an Earring.
Way more than half of Vermeer's portraits are illuminated from a window on the left, with the girls faces infused in the natural light. The photo got that so right.
Girl with a Red Hat is illuminated from the right. She is darker and more worldly than many of the other girls. I saw that painting at the National Gallery in DC and was totally blown away, then, and since then every time I see a print of it.
Good find, Lydia, thanks!
I was at the National Gallery for a very brief two hours, or so, this summer. It's amazing to see paintings in the real.
Girl With a Dingleberry
Armatel, even in the early days of photography people didn't smile. I think not only because of the exposure time it took to for the picture to take, but because it also never occurred to them.
Okay, Rabel, I laughed.
They didn't smile in paintings back then, which is interesting. We smile now in photos to signal we are happy and well-adjusted, having a good time. Top of the world, ma (stretches face)!
A painting takes longer. You can't maintain this fiction for the time it takes to paint. And apparently the fiction of smiling happiness wasn't recognized back then. To the extent there was smiling, it was the drunken sots who were doing it in paintings of that era.
Smiling is depicted in a lot of painted portraits, but it's often a subtler smile than the exaggerated smiles in contemporary photography.
Smiling with teeth exposed is unnatural and in the animal world often either a threat gesture or part of a submissive posture.
You're correct about the "drunken sot" theory- smiling, especially broad smiles and open mouths were often signifiers of low social status (servants, peasants, drunkards) or stupidity.
Lovely photos, all of them.
Dentistry and orthodontics were also not available back then. Is there any adult commenting here with a set of teeth they'd want to broadly expose to the public or record for posterity without the benefits of daily brushing and flossing, bi-annual cleaning, fillings, bridgework, caps, crowns, root canals and/or straightening? Beautiful teeth without dental work are a rarity, not a given.
Also, children from 5-12 tend to exhibit significant gaps due to tooth loss.
Great point, MamaM.
I have heard tell of this guy who takes sexually explicit photos of local dogs and posts them on his wife's website.
There are all kinds of weirdo's in this world. Just sayn'
Oh, wow. Those are stunningly beautiful.
It's hard not to be cute when you're 5, but she's pretty darn adorable. Wonderful expressive eyes.
Damnit Trooper, now you done it....
"M'dabrim 'al ha-khamor, ve-hinei hu ba"
Palladian said ...
Smiling with teeth exposed is unnatural and in the animal world often either a threat gesture or part of a submissive posture.
Quite true and interesting that you know that last part...most people I run in to do not.
Here area paid of pictures of "Ari" and "Dera" at play, with "Ari's" dominance obvious but incorporated in to the play...Alpha versus Omega. All teeth, all play, with submission unquestioned by "Dera" but still happy to make faux-challenges...and "Ari" happy to meet them. No blood was ever shed in their 8+ years together...epitomes of joy.
Great pictures, Aridog!
My kids would have been howling, climbing walls and generally being impossible. Sort of like photographing the dog and they won't stay put so all the dog pictures are of a really big dog nose.
My kids wouldn't be rushing the camera but they would have never ever posed... it was hard enough to herd them together and stop moving long enough to all yell "cheesburger" and snap a photo.
(Admittedly, some dogs love posing for photos, too.)
Great pics, Ari. I love when dogs fake growl and wrestle.
They didn't smile because smiling makes people look touched. Silly people smile, unserious people, feeble minded. Children only if ever.
Children were mostly serious.
Nobody serious enough to have their portraits painted wanted to be depicted and remembered as simple. Certainly not nobility and not serious merchants. Religious people are serious.
Also their teeth were the worst. Even queens.
Chip Ahoy said...
They didn't smile because smiling makes people look touched. Silly people smile, unserious people, feeble minded.
Well now, that certainly explains This Portrait
We've morphed into a nation of jack-asses, where we feel compelled to smile. Isn't that strange and depressing. How did we get here?
Wait a second. We're condemning the smile now?
I refuse take part in this treachery. Smiles are fantastic.
Yes, they are, April. I'm referring to feeling there's something wrong if you don't smile. And Facebook Nation. And selfies (guilty). Were you ever told, 'you'll look prettier if you smile'?
Forced smiling is not good - I'll agree to that. ;)
Especially by cattle prod. Man, that sucks.
How did we get here?
In the late 70's, James Burke, wrote a book and produced a video series called "Connections", which changed the way I view history.
Burke contends that one cannot consider the development of any particular piece of the modern world in isolation. Rather, the entire gestalt of the modern world is the result of a web of interconnected events, each one consisting of a person or group acting for reasons of their own (e.g., profit, curiosity, religious) motivations with no concept of the final, modern result of what either their or their contemporaries' actions finally led to. The interplay of the results of these isolated events is what drives history and innovation...
Though not the only factor involved, I hold with dentistry as a major player in this change, since it freed people from the pain, shame and unsightliness of broken, decayed and missing teeth, along with the pervasive stench that accompanies rotting material in the mouth and diseased gums, and made it possible for people to open their mouths with less reserve and show off the wonders of healthy teeth as a markers of status, wealth and class.
Great point, MamaM. I look forward to watching the series.
I was considering something like this during the Crack discussion. There are so many contributing factors to the problems we face, and so many conflicting interests in how a solution will, or will not be, worked out. I guess not worked out, but ground out by clashing events and interests.
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