art and sapphic art

up until that point, during the day lily continued to dress in masculine clothing and even attended galleries showing gottlieb’s paintings of her. which was kind of iconic. she got to stand in a room full of people who were marveling her beauty, not knowing she was right next to them. it must have been such a cute little secret for them as a couple.

here’s gerda and lilly together

not to mention that for most people there is no real “after” to a transition. especially for these trans historical figures who had to balance identity and safety at all times.

i think having a wife paint these portraits must have felt really amazing for lily. to be able to see herself through the eyes of someone who loved her. i’m very much seconding op on the getting teary eyed.

here are some of my favorite gottleib lily paintings

This beautiful painting (left) depicts two lovers of aristocratic rank enjoying a chaste embrace. The painting includes abundant symbolism in the flowers and colors. Their rings and the circlets crowning their heads indicate that they are newlyweds; the blossoming bower surrounding them promises their union’s fertility. The young man presents a flower to his bride thought to be forget-me-not, a symbol of remembrance. The brightly colored costumes of both the man and woman are an indication of wealth and the latest fashion. The colors of both costumes visually suggest that the couple belongs to each other. The colors of green, red, and brown respectively suggest chastity, love, and modesty. Though represented at the peak of their youth and health, this panel was once joined to another called the Rotting Pair (right), in which the young couple transforms into a pair of hideous corpses. Together the ensemble constituted a memento mori, a macabre reminder of the vanity of all things in the face of death. (via The Cleveland Museum)

Paula Rego, Portugal, 2005

Original Title: Moça com um feto

Museum: Marlborough Gallery, New York (United States)

Technique: Pastel (120 x 110 cm.)

Paula Rego (1935–2022) was one of the most important and influential artists in the international art scene of recent decades.

Obscenely figurative, her painting is full of narratives where the absolute protagonist is woman, an inhabitant of sordid and hostile universes, strangely familiar even to women who haven't suffered severe trauma.

Rego's paintings speak of family, childhood memories, abortion, and generally the struggle of women in a society that seems unwilling to abandon its aversion to the feminine.

In this particular work, Rego portrays (perhaps self-portrays, or portrays us) as a reflection of social hypocrisy regarding abortion.

The woman rests after the harsh experience of an abortion, and her dead child, still with the umbilical cord protruding from its body, lies in a dirty, clandestine sink. Curtains conceal the scene.

In her numerous works on the subject, Rego depicts women alone, tired, in silence... in barely sketched interiors that are far from a clean, sterilized clinic.

Leafworks - meticulously collected and pressed pieces by Jennie Ashmore

Yesterday I finished crocheting this cottagecore wallhanging 🌸🌺🌼🌻💛

Kantha (Bengali: কাঁথা) is a form of embroidery originating in Bengal region, i.e. Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and parts of Assam. It has its roots in nakshi kantha, an ancient practice among bengali women of making quilts from old saris and rags by sewing them together. In modern usage, kantha generally refers to the specific type of stitch used. The kantha needlework is distinct and recognised for its delicacy. The stitching on the cloth gives it a slightly wrinkled, wavy effect. Today, kantha embroidery can be found on all types of garments as well as household items like pillowcases, bags and cushions.

While it is an increasingly diversifying art form, traditional kantha embroidery motifs are still sought after. Traditional kantha embroidery is two-dimensional and are usually of two distinct types: geometric forms with a central focal point, carried over from the nakshi kantha tradition and influenced by islamic art forms; and more fluid plant, floral, animal and rural motifs with stick-figure humans depicting folklores and rural life in Bengal.

This Yoruba bust (or Ife Head) is dated to the 12th-14th centuries.

This misunderstanding also deeply, unfortunately, and inaccurately mischaracterizes traditional arts in African cultures as being “less developed” for being more stylized, as if they cannot figure out realism due to difficulty (lmao?), which simply is not the case.

1. Summer Afternoon, 1947:

This reminds me of Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen. Just, the whole vibe looks lonely, quiet, and intimate, but full of potential energy all the same. 

2. High Noon, 1949:

My Own Private Idaho. Obviously. I actually think the shots of the house in the desert from the movie could be referencing this painting. I’d like to imagine that woman is Mike’s mother. god i fucking love that movie.

3. Nighthawks, 1942:

I know everyone knows this one. this one to me is Darkness on the Edge of Town by Bruce Springsteen. the whole vibe kinda reminds me of the depressing working man vibe of the album and specifically the song. i wrote an essay on this album analyzing it through a queer lens and i brought up this painting idk it just. it fits.

4. Gas, 1940

This reminds me of Bojack Horseman season 4 episode 2 “The Old Sugarman Place.” Such a great episode and if u havent seen it i totally recommend watching the series. It’s so beautiful and this road with the gas station reminds me of the road out from the house into town where things went wrong and man. it’s so heartwrenching.

5. New York Corner, 1913