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firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
First Amendment Girl
@firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
1.8K followers 1.5K following 3.2K posts
Retired librarian, lifelong Democrat, 2nd Wave Feminist, living in Land of Enchantment. Art soothes my political anxiety.
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firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Starry Night by Edvard Munch, 1922/1924, MUNCH (Oslo, Norway)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #Expressionism
Some of the most emotionally-loaded landscapes from Munch's Ekely-period are a group of blue-tinted winter night pictures which he painted in a short period between 1922 and 1924. The motifs, seen from his house at Ekely, convey a sense of calm, harmony and stability which is partly achieved with the help of rounded shapes which are joined together in a firm and purposeful construction. The pictures get their light from the starry sky, the night light above the town and the light from his own room. In Starry Night you can see a shadow which is cast on the veranda steps by strong indoor light. The shadow, probably Munch's own, contributes to the painting's evocation of loneliness in the face of death. At the same time as Munch was painting the winter landscapes around Ekely he was very interested in Henrik lbsen's play John Gabriel Borkman. The shadow of Munch that we see in Starry Night could just as well Ibe interpreted as that of Borkman, the old man on his way out into the winter night in order to die in the play's tragic final scene.
February 10, 2026 at 1:29 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Redbud Tree in Bloom at Leon Springs, San Antonio by Robert Julian Onderdonk, 1921, Private Collection

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #Impressionism #AmericanImpressionism
February 9, 2026 at 4:28 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Spain by Julian Schnabel, 1986, Guggenheim Bilbao (Spain)

#ArtHistory #ContemporaryArt #NeoExpressionism
The 1960s and 1970s witnessed what has been termed the "dematerialization" of the art object, as the prevailing movements of that period favored works created with an economy of means, often focusing on an idea or concept rather than the object itself. By contrast, the early 1980s were characterized by a return to the traditions of painting and sculpture. It was during this period, after two decades dominated by the aesthetics of Minimal and Conceptual art, that Schnabel played a critical role in the emergence of Neo-Expressionist painting in the United States, the gestural brushstrokes and figurative subject matter of his paintings representing a radical shift in art making. Schnabel first came to prominence in 1979, when he began exhibiting his signature plate paintings, featuring shards of broken crockery embedded in Bondo (a putty-like polyester resin) and loosely overpainted with crude images in oil paint. Notable for their heroic scale, distorted subjects, and flamboyant textures, the plate paintings were inspired by a 1978 visit to Barcelona, where Schnabel encountered mosaics by the Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi. In works such as the monumental Spain, he transferred the mosaic surface to painting, transforming both in the process: the broken plates and cups project out from the surface ike jagged, sculptural brushstrokes, disrupting the picture plane. The swirling colors of the plate paintings often depict legendary figures; some recall the work of Pablo Picasso, but Schnabel has drawn from a variety of sources, including El Greco and cultural artifacts from Mexico. The disembodied head in the center of Spain is a recurrent image of the artist's work. Here it appears to be situated in a bullfighting ring beside a burladero, the barrier behind which the bullfighter protects himself from the bull. With its snoutlike form, this head is equally suggestive of both bull and bullfighter.
February 9, 2026 at 2:26 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Village after Snowstorm by Kazimir Malevich, 1912, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York City, NY)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #CuboFuturism #FirstPeasantCycle
The paintings of the Russian avant-garde have, in general, elicited two types of interpretation: one focuses on issues of technique and style; the other concentrates on social and political issues. The former method is usually applied to Malevich’s early paintings, grounded as they are in the forms of Cubism, Futurism, and other contemporaneous art movements; the latter largely avoids Malevich in favor of more politically engaged artists such as El Lissitzky, Aleksandr Rodchenko, and Vladimir Tatlin. From the formalist’s standpoint, Morning in the Village after Snowstorm is, in its mastery of complex colors and shapes, a perfect example of the newly created Russian style, Cubo-Futurism. The figures have been called a continuation of the genre types Malevich portrayed in his Neo-primitive paintings, their depiction seemingly reliant on Fernand Léger’s work, which Malevich could have known from an exhibition in Moscow in February 1912 or through reproductions. This phase in Malevich’s career has been seen as his formidable stopover on his journey toward abstraction and the development of Suprematism. But to ignore the political and social dimensions of Malevich’s art would be a disservice. Malevich came from humble circumstances and it is clear in autobiographical accounts that vivid memories of his country childhood compensated for his lack of a formal art education. Morning in the Village after Snowstorm demonstrates that his hard-won skills as a sophisticated painter were rooted in an unmistakably Russian experience. If art can be said to augur the future, then Malevich’s repeated decision—on the brink of the October Revolution—to depict peasants cannot have been merely coincidental.
February 8, 2026 at 5:53 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Intertwine by Israel Tsvaygenbaum, 2021, Currently for sale by artist

#ArtHistory #ContemporaryArt #MagicalRealism

For more information, see: www.israelartgod.com/art/gallery/...
February 8, 2026 at 12:54 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Avond (Evening): The Red Tree by Piet Mondrian, 1908, Kunstmuseum (The Hague, Netherlands)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #NeoImpressionism

For an essay on this work, see: www.piet-mondrian.org/the-red-tree...
February 7, 2026 at 4:01 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
The Roses of Heliogabalus by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1888, Private Collection

#ArtHistory #Romanticism #AcademicArt
The surface of the artwork teems with the accumulated weight of countless rose petals. Figures recline amidst this floral deluge, some lounging on draped cushions, others submerged, their forms barely discernible beneath the cascade. A central group sits at a richly laden table, their gazes shifting from the feast before them to the spectacle unfolding. The dense layering of individual petals, meticulously rendered, creates an overwhelming impression of abundance. This meticulous detail transforms the scene from a simple depiction of a decadent act into a palpable sensory experience of excess, echoing the late Victorian fascination with ancient decadence and imperial power. The opulent fabrics and architectural elements anchor the scene in an imagined past, a world where such lavish, even fatal, displays of wealth and control defined existence. A lone figure in the foreground, his back turned, observes the scene, his posture suggesting a detached contemplation of the revelry. From a higher balcony, a musician contributes to the atmosphere with melodic offering. Surrounding structures, rendered with crisp architectural lines, frame chaotic beauty of the central event. These precise forms contrast with the organic profusion of the flowers, highlighting the constructed nature of the imperial fantasy. The entire composition collapses time, placing a vividly realized antiquity into the very real concerns of the Victorian era's colonial ambitions. The Roses of Heliogabalus is a prime example of Academic art, a style prevalent in the 19th century that emphasized classical themes, meticulous detail, and technical skill. It emerged as a reaction against the Romantic and Realist movements, seeking to revive the grandeur and order of classical art. Alma-Tadema was a leading figure in the Aesthetic movement, which valued beauty and artistic form above all else.
February 7, 2026 at 12:47 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
The Canadian Side of Niagara Falls, Platform Rock by Rembrandt Peale, 1831, Private Collection

#ArtHistory #NeoClassicism
The pervasive diffusion of light defines the atmosphere. A solitary figure in a red garment perches on a rock formation, gazing toward the tonumental cascade. Vast curtains of water spill over a formidable precipice, disappearing into swirling mist. The dense, granular application of paint on foreground rocks anchors the composition to the earth. This meticulous rendering of the terrain contrasts with the ethereal dissolution of the falling water. The sheer scale of the natural wonder dwarfs the human presence, establishing a Romantic awe. Its placement, a deliberate compositional element, underscores human insignificance before the sublime. The hazy yellow wash over the entire scene imbues the landscape with an otherworldly glow. Such monumental depictions of North American wilderness gained traction as the young nation asserted its identity. The careful rendering of each individual cascade, rendered through delicate brushwork, acknowledges the raw power of the falls. This careful observation of nature's grandeur served to elevate the American continent in European imagination.
February 6, 2026 at 4:09 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Chinese Shadows, The Rabbit by Ferdinand du Puigaudeau, 1892, might be in Private Collection

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #PostImpressionism
Du Puigaudeau was a French Post-Impressionist associated with Pont-Aven School and the Nabis. "Chinese Shadows, The Rabbit" exemplifies the symbolist movement's interest in evoking moods and ideas through suggestive imagery rather than direct representation. It was created during a period when Japanese (Japonisme) and broader Eastern aesthetics were heavily influencing European artists, leading to experimentation with composition, color, and subject matter. The work also reflects the broader shift away from Realism towards more subjective and expressive forms of art. The flickering light from a single candle consumes the scene. Two girls, framed by a textured wall, conjure a rabbit shadow with their interlocked fingers. One gazes intently at the projected image, her hands forming the creature's ears. The other, younger, looks forward, her face softly illuminated. The close proximity of the figures to the wall presses the scene forward, amplifying the intimacy of their game. This compressed space channels the viewer's attention directly to the play light and shadow. The artist builds the surface through a multitude of short, tactile strokes, lending a shimmering, almost animated quality to the static forms. These fractured applications of color suggest a moment caught in flux, an ephemeral entertainment rendered tangible. This visual language embraces the Impressionist fascination with transient light and subjective perception. The girls' focused engagement with the shadow-play anchors them in a private world, suggesting a sanctuary from a rapidly changing external reality. The subtle hues and gentle forms evoke a sense of quietude within the era's burgeoning modernity. Their shared endeavor, conjured from simple gestures, creates a world within a world.
February 6, 2026 at 12:45 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Girl in Fulton Street, New York by Walker Evans,1929, The J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, CA)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #Photography #Realism
Her face stern and graphic mask poised against the urban bustle, this unidentified young woman wearing a smart cloche hat and fur-collared coat stands against a glass shop window, intently gazing toward the street and waiting. Only a few feet beyond her, pedestrians hurry back and forth along the boulevard, yet she remains a pillar of calm and steel, her furrowed brow at once a defense mechanism and an expression of vulnerability. Engrossed in thought, she appears to be entirely unaware of Evans' presence.
February 5, 2026 at 4:24 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Bridge over Iris Pond by Suzuki Kiitsu, c. 1820-1850, Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields (Indianapolis, IN)

#ArtHistory #RinpaSchool

Kiitsu is best known for his byōbu folding screens.
February 5, 2026 at 1:06 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Bleeding Heart by Georgia O'Keeffe, 1932, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum (Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #Modernism #AbstractArt #Precisionism
Vertical pastel with two pink flowers, one atop the other rising upwards, with green leaves at bottom of work.
February 4, 2026 at 4:04 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Trae Crowder, as always, has a point

www.tiktok.com/t/ZThfDcd1w/
All this Epstein stuff got me feelin insane over here #traecrowder #seemelive #linkinbio
TikTok video by Trae Crowder
www.tiktok.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:41 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Eagle Head, Manchester, Massachusetts (High Tide) by Winslow Homer, 1870, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, NY)

#ArtHistory #Luminism
After the Civil War, Homer often explored women’s new societal roles in his art. This modern leisure subject confounded critics when it was first exhibited in New York, in 1870, perhaps for its disquieting sense of voyeurism and mystery. Emerging after a swim, a woman wrings out her heavy bathing clothes and hair as a small dog appears startled by dripping water. Some viewers focused on issues of decorum and class, criticizing the women’s state of undress—even though they wear typical bathing costumes of the era—and one described them as "exceedingly red-legged and ungainly." The work falls within the period of American Luminism and the rise of Realism the late 19th century. While Realism influenced by the Hudson River School's romanticized landscapes, Homer moved towards more direct and unsentimental portrayal of nature. This work anticipates the later development of American Impressionism and foreshadows the focus on subjective experience and atmospheric effects that would characterize the movement. It represents a shift away from detailed topographical accuracy towards capturing the emotional impact of the natural world.
February 4, 2026 at 1:00 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Aside from being a drunk and all-around asshole, Pete Hegseth is in the top three whiniest weak White men in history 🎁

wapo.st/3LSdfnA
Pentagon warns Scouts to restore ‘core values’ or lose military support
The relationship dates back decades, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has criticized the organization for allowing girls to join and changing its name from Boy Scouts.
wapo.st
February 3, 2026 at 6:18 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Boat House at Ingleneuk by Frederic Remington, 1903, Frederic Remington Art Museum (Ogdensburg, New York, United States)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #Impressionism #AmericanImpressionism
Remington purchased an island home on the St. Lawrence and namedit Ingleneuk. Boat House at Ingleneukis one of two island sketches Remington hungat New Rochelle.
February 3, 2026 at 3:06 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
The Lacemaker by Johannes Vermeer, 1671, The Louvre (Paris, France)

#ArtHistory #Baroque #DutchGoldenAge

For more, see www.louvrelens.fr/en/the-lacem...
February 3, 2026 at 1:01 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
The Long Stretch by Jacob Lawrence, 1949, currently on view at Kunsthal KAdE (Amersfoort, Netherlands)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #Expressionism #SocialRealism

For more on this exhibition, see www.culturetype.com/2025/12/18/o...
February 2, 2026 at 2:51 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
I posted the wrong painting this morning. I attached Last Piece; this is To Felini. Both by Guston.
February 2, 2026 at 1:14 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Supper by Léon Bakst, 1902, The State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #ArtNouveau
The prototype for the heroine of Supper was Anna Benois, wife of the artist Alexander Benois. Bakst does not, however, aspire towards a direct portrait likeness. The subject is merely a starting point for a typical Art Nouveau image — the femme fatale, with her enigmatic half-smile, sensual feline grace, and shapely figure tightly corseted in black. Supper was a scandalous success at the fifth World of Art exhibition, representing Bakst’s first major triumph as a virtuoso stylist and future legislator of Parisian fashions.
February 2, 2026 at 12:51 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
To Fellini by Philip Guston, 1958, Private Collection

#ArtHistory #ContemporaryArt #AbstractExpressionism #NeoImpressionism

For an essay on this work, plus other information including most recent sale price, see www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5...
February 1, 2026 at 5:04 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Marketplace by Helen McNicoll, 1910, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #Impressionism
February 1, 2026 at 12:52 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
The Nuremberg Trial, 1946 by Laura Knight, 1946, Imperial War Museums (London,United Kingdom)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #Symbolism
Knight's painting "The Nuremberg Trial, 1946" is quite different from the portraits she had created for the War Artists Advisory Committee (WAAC) to meet a wartime propaganda need for heroes and role models. It seems clear that the subject and the experience moved her and challenged her into a departure from her usual realist style. Knight was appointed a war correspondent for this commission and made a special BBC broadcast from Nuremberg. She gained special access to the broadcasting box just above the prisoners, where she was able to make charcoal studies of the main protagonists amongst the lawyers and the accused. Her painting reproduces faithfully the courtroom scene and is, in effect, a group portrait of the prisoners who are shown wearing the cumbersome headphones necessary to hear a translation of the proceedings. However, Knight was deeply disturbed by what she heard during the trial ,and the painting shows the desolate landscape of Nuremberg intruding right inside the courtroom like a shared nightmare. We are invited to contemplate the dreadful consequences of totalitarian power. The international tribunal at Nuremberg tried 21 leading Germans, headed by Hermann Goering. Eleven of the accused were sentenced to death, three to life imprisonment, and a further four were given lesser prison terms.
January 31, 2026 at 3:24 PM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Old Woman and Boy with Candles by Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1616-1617, Mauritshuis (Den Haag, Netherlands)

#ArtHistory #Baroque ##DutchGoldenAge
An old woman gazes ahead, shielding her eyes from the candlelight, while the boy behind her holds his candle, ready to be lit. The panel is painted in the style of Caravaggio, whose work Rubens had seen in ltaly. This style is characterised by its exciting effects of light and unpolished naturalism. Rubens did not make this painting to be sold; instead, he retained possession of it. He probably used it as study material for the pupils in his studio.
January 31, 2026 at 12:59 AM
firstamendmentgirl.bsky.social
Miss La La at the Fernando Circus by Edgar Degas, 1879, The J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, California, United States)

#ArtHistory #ModernArt #Impressionism
Degas was fascinated by the modern city and its places of entertainment, notably the opera house, the racetrack, and the circus. In these venues, he sought out unusual perspectives and extremes of movement: the subject of this drawing offered him both. The Cirque Fernando opened its doors in 1875 in the Pigalle neighborhood, a hotspot for Parisian nightlife and progressive art. Degas lived nearby, as did Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Georges Seurat, all of whom painted pictures of the Cirque Fernando. It was there that Degas watched a famous aerialist known as "Miss La La" in, January 1879. Born Olga Brown in 1858 in what is today Poland, this biracial performer toured France and England under a variety of stage names (the Venus of the Tropics, the African Princess) calculated to appeal to European notions of "exotic" beauty. She was a virtuoso performer. Her act included various feats of strength and agility, but its climax involved being hoisted high in the air by means of a pulley, a rope, and a specially fitted dental device. This is the feat Degas portrayed here. He was so captivated by Miss La La's performance that he returned night after night to sketch her, producing a series of life studies that culminated in an oil painting, shown at the Fourth Impressionist Exhibition later that year. Each of the studies is inscribed with the date when Degas made it, (in this case, January 21, 1879), probably working in black pastel from his seat at the circus and then adding other colors once back in his studio. With its dramatic perspective, glowing palette, and only vague suggestion of Miss La La's suspension device, this drawing conveys sense of the soaring, splendid, hands-free effect she achieved in her performances.
January 30, 2026 at 3:35 PM