#abstractism

Pavel Tchelitchew (1898-1957)

"Un Personage (Abstract Portrait)", ca.1927

Left: Georges Valmier, Composition (1923)

Chess Game (1555)

This is Italian painter Sofonisba Anguissola (1535-1626), probably one of the earliest examples we have of women who were able to contribute to the European art field. Though she was never able to become a professional artist, she did receive commissions, and was compensated through gifts rather than money. She was able to do so thanks to her father, who encouraged her and her sisters to study music, literature and art. His father was a great supporter of Sofonisba's work, introducing her to courts and sending her works to important figures of the period, like Michelangelo Buonarroti. Sofonisba is usually compared to the more well-known (but still not talked about enough) Artemisia Gentileschi  (1593-1653)💛.

Self-Portrait (1556)

Shout out to the Barbie Rapunzel DVD extra documentary for being the sole instance in my life I witnessed someone talk about Sofonisba Anguissola (despite my 11 years of studying history of art in school).

In the video, they also talk about American artist Alma Thomas (1891–1978), who worked in the abstract movement. Her works revolve around natural phenomena, painting flowers, rendering light and radiation through the pointillism technique, similarly to post-impressionism artists (see Georges Seurat, for example). Though she started painting during the mid-50s, she developed her signature style in the mid-60s, so technically out of the period set in the community line guides of this group, but I thought it was important to mention her. I think it's a very interesting choice to feature these two artists specifically in a documentary that talks about passion, and imagination, and wants to encourage children, especially young girls, to be creative and follow their dreams. Thank you Barbie.

The Eclipse (1970)