#portraitmonday — Public Fediverse posts

"Girl in a Pink Dress," Laura Wheeler Waring, 1927.

Waring (1887-1948) was THE great portrait artist of the Harlem Renaissance. Her depictions of major figures in Black history make her worthy of study.

Here we have a portrait of an unidentified young Black woman in a stylist 20s dress, with a stylish 20s hairdo. This is a young lady of fashion, very up-to-the-minute.

But also, her youth, the choice of pink for her dress, and the corsage at her shoulder...this hints at blossoming and young vitality. "Here," Wheeler may be saying, "is the future of Black America, just coming into blossom!"

I've talked about Waring before, including her many portraits and her years teaching, so I won't go into her life story. But I just love this portrait of a young, vital, serene woman, waiting to take on the world.

Happy Portrait Monday!

From a private collection.

#Art #LauraWheelerWaring #WomenArtists #WomenInArt #BlackHistoryMonth #PortraitMonday #HarlemRenaissance #YouthInBlossom #FutureOfAmerica

"Girl in a Pink Dress," Laura Wheeler Waring, 1927.

Waring (1887-1948) was THE great portrait artist of the Harlem Renaissance. Her depictions of major figures in Black history make her worthy of study.

Here we have a portrait of an unidentified young Black woman in a stylist 20s dress, with a stylish 20s hairdo. This is a young lady of fashion, very up-to-the-minute.

But also, her youth, the choice of pink for her dress, and the corsage at her shoulder...this hints at blossoming and young vitality. "Here," Wheeler may be saying, "is the future of Black America, just coming into blossom!"

I've talked about Waring before, including her many portraits and her years teaching, so I won't go into her life story. But I just love this portrait of a young, vital, serene woman, waiting to take on the world.

Happy Portrait Monday!

From a private collection.

#Art #LauraWheelerWaring #WomenArtists #WomenInArt #BlackHistoryMonth #PortraitMonday #HarlemRenaissance #YouthInBlossom #FutureOfAmerica

"Lucie Leon at the Piano," Bertha Morisot, 1892.

Morisot (1841-95) was, along with Mary Cassatt, one of the great female Impressionists. She was a close friend and student of Edouard Manet (and some claim a love affair, but evidence is scant), and married his brother. His influence can be seen in her work, especially here.

Although she did a number of landscapes, Morisot's great interest, like Cassatt, was in private, intimate scenes, often painting families at home. Here we feel some pity for poor Lucie Leon, so bored-looking, sitting at her piano.

Leon herself was to become a successful pianist as an adult, so while she looks like she wishes she was doing ANYTHING else, at least she came to embrace music as a career.

Morisot sadly died young, of pneumonia contracted while nursing her daughter, but during her lifetime she was a very successful artist. Today her work fetches record prices at auctions.

From a private collection.

#Art #WomenArtists #WomenInArt #Portrait #BertheMorisot #LucieLeon #PortraitMonday