Essay on Adelaide Labille-Guiard, Self-portrait with Two Pupils
In 1785, celebrated artist Adelaide Labille-Guiard painted what would become one of her most famous works, the oil on canvas Self-Portrait with Two Pupils , Mademoiselle Marie Gabrielle Capet and Mademoiselle. The painting is noteworthy in a variety of ways, not the least of which is the gender of the artist (she was one of the few women invited to the French Academie Royale) and her subjects within the work, but also the unusual compositional choices.
Essay on Marxism as a Method of Art History
The nineteenth century was significant in Europe because it spawned or brought to the forefront revolutionary new forms of culture and theology. Among these movements were feminism, Marxism, the romantic period of music, and the impressionist period of art. Marxism has been critically acclaimed for its adherence to the popular utopian traditions of past ages and its determination to exterminate the inequities of the feudal class system. Marxism was a nineteenth century behemoth, its shadow influencing not only social and political thought but also provoking minds around the world. Critics of ideology’s influence on art harangue the latter as a restrictive form of interpretation, one whose hold over art’s beholder evokes themes that override those intended by the artist.
