Monday, November 27, 2023

The MOMA at Thanksgiving

Emily took me to the Moma (Museum of Modern art) last Tuesday and I savored every moment. The impetus for the photo below were the words "Artist Who Do Books" in the piece that stands behind us. Bookmaking is a passion we both share. 




And here a few favorites from the permanent collection. 





And this one by George Grosz and is called Self-portrait with a Model 1928
He seems to crowd himself into the painting. While she looks almost bored with the whole thing. I wonder what she thought of the painting when he finished. 



Florine Stettheimer also paints herself into the painting as she is shown on the left.  Family Portrait II. Painted  was completed in 1933.  Multi-talented as also a set designer and poet here she is portraying her family living at 182 W 58th street with grand views of the Chrysler building and Rockefeller center. I don't know how serious she took her work but she did call it her "Masterpiece." 






This one below is by Merit Oppenheimer called Fur Covered Cup  from 1936. 
How perfectly unappetizing.






This one is painted by Richard Oelze, a German from 1936 Called Expectation 
I wish I had more back story on this one. It seems so ominous. 








And of course Picasso is always a treat. This one is called Woman Dressing Her Hair  1940
He painted this in Paris just before the Germans invaded. I love the political commentary as she certainly does look stuck with little freedom to move like so many in 1940 Paris.




Picasso again this time from 1944 The Charnal house. A spectacular response to the ghastly ovens that slaughtered so many, 



 

As we move farther and father from the 20th century I become more interested in its treasures. All of these artist express themselves in unique ways. And that was a luxury that the 19th century artists could not imagine.