Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Paintings matter


More from the Art Institute of Chicago. In the middle of so many old portraits of "Commander Josiah Smithensmythe and his dog," was a gorgeous painting called "The Captive Slave." Painted in 1827, the colors remain vibrant, and the subject remains anguished. Only paintings can do that bit of breathtaking magic - take us back for a moment to 1827 and into the mind of the man who sat to have this painting made. There were far more people gazing thoughtfully into this man's haunted face than any other expensive portrait of another snob with his children and gloves.
Love from Wilson World,
Tom

3 comments:

Wendy aka Cheeky said...

Wow what an amazing painting.

Unknown said...

Very moving.
Soulful, even.

Anonymous said...

That whole image is heroic. That's the only word I can think for it. Not just the lighting and the pose but you really feel as though the subject can reach across the centuries to touch you.

Now I wonder who he was, how he lived out his days (probably miserably), and what became of him.