Shapely Women

Molodukha

2012-01-15T02:54:00.000-05:00

Young Woman (Molodukha)
Oksana Suhorukova, 2008
Сухорукова Оксана. молодуха

Masha in Blue

2012-01-14T02:45:00.000-05:00

Masha
Ivan Kirillov, 2011
Кириллов Иван. Маша

Sanctified Willow

2012-01-13T02:43:00.000-05:00

Sanctified Willow
Maria Lazareva, 2004
Лазарева Мария. Освященная верба

Head of a Girl

2012-01-12T02:42:00.000-05:00

Head of a Girl
Il'ya Kreidun, 2011
Крейдун Илья. Голова девочки

Portrait in Stripes

2012-01-11T02:40:00.000-05:00

Portrait
Evgeniy Sokolov, 21st century (?)
Соколов Евгений. Портрет

Lady With Apples

2012-01-10T02:39:00.000-05:00

Lady with Apples
Valeriy Sidorkin, 2005
Сидоркин Валерий. Дама с яблоками

Madonna

2012-01-09T02:37:00.000-05:00

Madonna
Vladimir Semerenko, 2003
(Семеренко Владимир. Мадонна)

Ukrainka

2012-01-08T02:35:00.000-05:00

Ukrainka, or, Woman of Ukraine
Vladimir Gremitski, 1966
(Гремитских Владимир. Украинка)

Portrait of Olga

2012-01-07T02:31:00.000-05:00

Portrait of Olga
Alla Polkovnichenko, 2010
(Полковниченко Алла. портрет ольги)

Tell me What will be

2012-01-06T02:29:00.000-05:00

Tell me, what will be
Elena Shumaker, 2011
(Шумахер Елена. Скажи мне, что будет)

Princess

2012-01-05T02:27:00.000-05:00

Princess
Olesya Serzhantova, 2011
(Сержантова Олеся. Принцесса)

Can anyone read what this says?

Woman and Guitar

2012-01-04T02:26:00.000-05:00

Woman and Guitar
Kamil' Aminov, 2004
(Аминов Камиль. Женщина и гитара)

Coral Beads

2012-01-03T02:24:00.000-05:00

Coral Beads
Vladimir Olenberg, 2010
(Оленберг Владимир. Коралловые бусы)

Morning in Egypt

2012-01-02T02:22:00.000-05:00

Morning in Egypt
Mikhail Rudnik, 2011
(Рудник Михаил. Утро в Египте)

Masha

2012-01-01T02:19:00.000-05:00

Masha
Maria Kulikova, 2008

Treatise on the Apple

2011-12-31T02:04:00.000-05:00

A Treatise on the apple
Alexandr Sulimov, 2011

Or "Сулимов Александр. Трактат о яблоке." Love the style on this one!

Krasavitsa

2011-12-30T02:02:00.000-05:00

Маленькая красавица (Young Beauty*)
Мурадян Рубен (Ruben Muradyan), 1999

Or "Pritty Girl," as it was translated online.

Frantishek

2011-12-29T01:59:00.000-05:00

Франтишек (Frantishek)
Чижова Виктория (Victoria Chizhova), 2007

Village Girl

2011-12-28T01:56:00.000-05:00

Village Girl, a copy from A. Arkhipov
Viktor Ostapenko, 2009

Like many of the other artists who have posted work on artnow.ru, Ostapenko posts interpretive/practise work that was done based on that of other artists. I'm giving as full credit to both artists as I know about!

Mechti Dream

2011-12-27T01:54:00.000-05:00

Мечты (девука в голубом)
Dream (girl in blue)
Абдалиева Акжан (Akzhan Abdalieva), 2009

Maria Semenova

2011-12-26T01:52:00.000-05:00

Портрет художницы Марии Семеновой (Portrait of the Artist Maria Semenova)
Волхонская Людмила (Ludmila Volhonskaya), 2011

Golden Rose

2011-12-25T01:51:00.000-05:00

Золотая роза (Golden Rose)
Анашкина Ольга (Olga Anashkina), 2011

Merry Christmas, everybody!

Together

2011-12-24T01:48:00.000-05:00

Together
Lidia Kalimulina, 2001

Best Friends

2011-12-23T01:49:00.000-05:00

Best Friends
Konstantin Sterkhov, 2011

The Mum

2011-12-22T01:45:00.000-05:00

The Mum
Nina Alimasova, 1997

Great portraiture. This and following posts are selected from the wide variety of good/bad art up at Artnow.Ru

Melody

2011-12-21T01:25:00.000-05:00

Melody
N. Bube, 2007

Recent work by a Kazakh artist, traditionalizing women of the past with bright fabrics, petroglyph-like animals, traditional dress, a dombira (instrument) and a feast laid out on the ground.

Mother Gargamelle

2011-12-20T01:19:00.000-05:00

Mother Gargamelle
Evgeniy Sidorkin, 1981

Picture based on stories by Rabelais. From an art gallery website in Almaty, Kazakhstan

in the Green Bugatti

2011-12-19T01:02:00.000-05:00

Self-Portrait in the Green Bugatti
Tamara de Lempicka, 20th century

Idyll at Harbor

2011-12-18T00:52:00.000-05:00

Idyll
Tamara de Lempicka, 1931

Telephone II

2011-12-17T00:46:00.000-05:00

The Telephone II
Tamara de Lempicka, 1930

Tamara de Lempicka has a great life-story, moving from Poland/Soviet Union out to Europe and then America, cultivating affairs with a wide number of people, and creating a large number of sensual art-deco pictures of women from her elite social circles in Europe.

Long Live May 1st

2011-12-16T00:41:00.000-05:00

Long live May 1st, the Feast of the Proletariat!
Да здравствует пролетарский праздник 1-ое Мая!
I.V. Simakov, 1921

A broad network of nurseries...

2011-12-15T00:35:00.000-05:00

A broad network of nurseries, kindergartens...
E. Zernova, 1931

Широкое развертывание сети яслей детских садов столовых и прачешных обеспечит участие женщины социалистическои строительстве
The wide deployment of the network of nurseries, kindergartens, canteens and [?] will ensure the participation of women in socialist construction!

Women! Learn the Means of Production!

2011-12-14T00:29:00.000-05:00

Women! Learn the Means of Production
O. Ejges, 1941

Full translation here:

Женщины! Изучайте производство, заменяйте рабочих, ушедших на фронт! Чем крепче тыл -- тем крепче фронт!

Women! Learn production, replace the workers who went to the front! The stronger the rear -- the stronger the front!

We Do Like Cotton...

2011-12-13T00:26:00.000-05:00

We do like Stachanov!
B. Lebesev, 1936

I have no idea what language this is. Ideas?

Selling the Fruits

2011-12-12T00:18:00.000-05:00

Selling the fruits of a bumper harvest in a friendly manner
Xie Mulian, 1978

I have never been so cheerful about selling stuff. Anyhow, more socialist pictures from the International Institute of SocialHistory.

Zhongzi xuande hao

2011-12-11T00:03:00.000-05:00

Zhongzi xuande hao
Jin Meisheng, 1960s

Proud of Participating in Industrialization

2011-12-10T00:01:00.000-05:00

"Proud women - We are proud of participating in the founding of our country's industrialization!"
Ning Hao, 1954

American Imperialism Must be Beaten

2011-12-09T23:57:00.000-05:00

"American imperialism must be beaten!"
Ha Qiongwen, 1965

This one is for my dear friend Margie, who studies women in the U.S. military!

High Tower of Winter Gourds

2011-12-08T23:56:00.000-05:00

"A high tower of winter gourds"
Jin Meisheng, 1959

Physical Education

2011-12-07T23:54:00.000-05:00

"Develop physical education activities in peasant villages!"
Zhao Kunhan, 1975

Go Among the Workers

2011-12-06T23:50:00.000-05:00

"Go among the workers, Peasants and Soldiers and into the Thick of Struggle!"
Communist Chinese Propaganda poster, 1970

Produce more steel

2011-12-05T23:45:00.004-05:00

"Produce more steel. Sending more steel to the frontline of national construction"
Cai Zhenhua, 1953

Of the Commune

2011-12-04T23:41:00.002-05:00

"The hogs of the commune must be raised to be fat and big"
Weng Yizhi, 1956

Lullaby

2011-12-03T04:27:00.000-05:00

Колыбельная (Lullaby)
Е. М. Сидоркин (Evgeniy Sidorkin), 1964

Yes, I'm a sucker for all things Central Asian...

Bloom, our May!

2011-12-02T08:07:00.001-05:00

Bloom, our May!
N. Vatolina, 1951

Note the pennant that says 1st of May on it, as well as the parades in the street, the building projects, and the glowing mother and baby at leisure. Classic Soviet poster.

Woman With Vase

2011-12-01T12:41:00.000-05:00

Woman With Vase
Edmond Francois Aman-Jean, 19th century

Woman With Dog

2011-12-01T12:40:00.000-05:00

Woman With Dog
Louis Bouche, 1920

Also a great one up close. Plus, her face -- what expression is that? And the dog/cat? Also quite content/bored...

Seated Female Nude

2011-11-30T12:38:00.000-05:00

Seated Female Nude
Carl Newman, 1920

Again, we've got more nudes at Shapely Nudes...

Study for Rachel

2011-11-29T12:36:00.000-05:00

Study for Rachel from the Mothers of the Bible
Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1898

Woman Shelling Peas

2011-11-28T12:35:00.000-05:00

Woman Shelling Peas
Emily Clayton Bishop, 1911

Great sculpture, and at least from this angle, great expression on her face!

Woman Washing

2011-11-27T12:32:00.000-05:00

Woman Washing
Jean Charlot, 1933

Woman Standing Child on Back

2011-11-26T12:28:00.000-05:00

Woman Standing Child on Back
Jean Charlot, 1933

Woman in Red Dress at Piano

2011-11-25T12:27:00.000-05:00

Woman in Red Dress at Piano
Steve Ashby, 1973

Little wooden cut-out! Gotta love it.

Taos Indian Woman

2011-11-24T12:25:00.000-05:00

Taos Indian Woman
Kenneth M. Adams, 1920s

The colors are beautiful, although I don't like how he erases/ she doesn't display much affect... I guess that's what happens when you paint someone as a generic ethnic term?

Woman and Girl

2011-11-23T12:23:00.000-05:00

Woman and Girl
Albert Swinden, 1955

Woman Ironing

2011-11-22T12:21:00.000-05:00

Woman Ironing
David McCosh, 1931

Excellently done.

Woman Ironing

2011-11-21T12:18:00.000-05:00

Woman Ironing
Werner Drewes, 20th century

Again, this seems to be a woodcut, and it's lovely from both near and far away. The shading on her dress is especially eye-drawing.

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Spanish Woman Playing Guitar

2011-11-20T12:15:00.001-05:00

Spanish Woman Playing Guitar
Jan Matulka, 1923

If you're reading this directly on the website, right-click the photo for a close-up.... the shading is just beautiful!

Hedipa, a Navajo Woman

2011-11-19T12:13:00.000-05:00

Hedipa, a Navajo Woman
John K. Hillers, 1880

Okay, okay, I said I don't do photographs, but I'm totally cheating. One, because I love her expression, and two, because I recently lived in a Navajo community for a few months, and she reminds me of some of hte women I got to know there!

Samoan Woman

2011-11-18T12:11:00.000-05:00

Samoan Woman
Antonion Zeno Shindler, 1890s

Hopi Woman Weaving Plaques

2011-11-17T12:09:00.000-05:00

Hopi Woman Weaving Plaques
Carl Moon, 1940

Seminole Woman

2011-11-16T12:06:00.000-05:00

Seminole Woman
George Catlin, 1838

This picture is from a further distance than most of Catlin's portrait, and that plus her reserve/discomfort makes it quite different in feeling than his other works...

Tow-ée-ka-wet

2011-11-16T12:05:00.000-05:00

Tow-ée-ka-wet, a Cree Woman
George Catlin, 1832

Oó-je-en-á-he-a

2011-11-15T12:02:00.000-05:00

Oó-je-en-á-he-a, Woman Who Lives in a Bear's Den
George Catlin, 1832

Unlike many women in portaits of this era, I love Oó-je-en-á-he-a because she has color and personality!

Good Road Woman

2011-11-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

Chan-ku-wash-te-mine (Good Road Woman)
Antonion Zeno Shindler, 1887

Woman With a Trap

2011-11-12T11:57:00.000-05:00

Woman With a Trap
Eugene Higgins, 20th century

I'm assuming this is a working-class woman holding a mouse; it's interesting how her head is in the shadows while her arm is highlighted in Ambient light, as well as the muted tone of the painting.

Female Portrait

2011-11-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

Female Portrait
Anderson Johnson, 1994

Estefania Dances

2011-11-09T11:38:00.000-05:00

Estefania Dances
Tracy Verdugo, 2006

This blog and picture recommended by my mom -- thanks, Mom!

Moscow Perfumery

2011-11-07T11:34:00.000-05:00

Larfiomerniye Tovari
Moscow Perfumery Advertisement, Tsarist Era Russia

This is how I feel when I think about perfume, too...

Traktori i Yasli

2011-11-05T11:30:00.000-04:00

"Tractors and public nurseries are drivers of a village’s development.
Don’t forget to get maternity aid and consultations at your collective farms."
Soviet / Russian, 20th century

So... it's possible I'm particularly partial to old Soviet posters. The fact that two separate issues were put on one poster -- efficiency? -- is especially gratifying...

Zhenshini v Kolkhozakh

2011-11-03T11:23:00.000-04:00

"Woman working at collective farms represent the real strength of our society!"
Soviet poster from englishrussia.com

Belle Creole

2011-11-01T11:20:00.000-04:00

Belle Creole
Kcatia Taylor, 2003

Ms. Taylor, who grew up in Paris and now lives in the U.S., has a fair selection of "French Creole" artwork. I enjoy the bright colors and sea-side/new orleans style themes here...

Joseph und das Weib des Potiphar

2011-10-30T11:09:00.000-04:00

Joseph und das Weib des Potiphar
Philipp Veit, 1816

Woman in Furs

2011-10-28T10:57:00.000-04:00

Woman in Furs
Edouard Manet, 1882

Looked this one up after reading about the rise and fall of furs in Western fashion, here: Skin Deep: the Fall of Fur.

The "Japanese" Lady

2011-10-25T10:39:00.000-04:00

The Japanese Lady
Alfred Wordsworth Thompson, late 19th century

Okay, I have a suspicion this lady isn't really japanese -- rather, it's part of the Orientalist fad in Anglo countries, where elite women would dress up in kimonos and collect eastern artwork. Still worth posting for a portrayal of the period....

Beautiful Bouquet

2011-10-23T10:34:00.000-04:00

Beautiful Bouquet
Tiffany Yancey, 21st century

Here's a much more recent American artist, with a number of lovely pictures. This one's probably my favorite, both for the mix of colors and the movement of lines on her dress... see more of Yancey's work here.

Young Woman Playing a Violin

2011-10-21T10:32:00.000-04:00

Young Woman Playing a Violin
Orazio Gentileschi, 17th century

Here's another girl at music -- according to the records I have, same artist, same century, but a very different look from the last one. I'd say it's less developed, although the shadows on her arm are especially well done -- the angle's kind of odd, however!

Lutenist

2011-10-19T10:27:00.000-04:00

Lutenist
Orazio Gentileschi, 1626

Notice how the bend of the lute, a popular instrument at the time, matches the bend of the girls' knee as she sits and plays, and how the colors reflect and contrast with each other...

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary

2011-10-17T23:25:00.000-04:00

Christ in the House of Martha & Mary
Tintoretto, c. 1576

Found this one back in my drafts folder, as it seems I've never posted it. Tintoretto was a Renaissance painter known as "Il Furioso," supposedly for the ferocity of his paintings. Mostly I like that Jesus has a yellow halo, and of course, the interactions between the sisters, as Martha lectures Mary and Mary seems to just ignore her!

2011-10-13T11:04:00.000-04:00

Lady in Black Dress
Théophile Robert, 1926

She does not look entirely happy, but lovely composition. Again, from Weimar Art.

2011-10-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

Young Girl Seated
Georg Schrimpf, 1923

Adorbs. From http://weimarart.blogspot.com/ -- and yes, good news! It seems like although I can't read my own blog in this media-restricive country, I can post! So let me know if anything goes wrong with the site, as I won't be able to check it visually :-(

2011-10-07T10:57:00.000-04:00

Lais Corinthiaca
Hans Holbein, 1526

Is she asking for money or giving money? Not clear, but I got this piece from http://100rsns.blogspot.com/, which exists to warn you why you shouldn't pay money for a graduate education! I believe our 16th century lady agrees...

The Vision of Saint Helena

2011-10-05T10:53:00.002-04:00

The Vision of Saint Helena
Paolo Veronese, c. 1575
This is pretty much how I feel after a long day at work, too! Picture borrowed from http://100rsns.blogspot.com/, a blog detailing all the reasons you should NOT go to grad school... I concur...

Woman at Table (Karfiol)

2011-09-11T00:18:00.006-04:00

Woman at Table
Bernard Karfiol, 1929
At the SAAM

Living in pre-depression comfort, here. A reminder -- these pictures are like glorified thumbnails -- click through on them to get a better view of the artist's work!

Head of a Woman (Newman)

2011-09-09T00:23:00.003-04:00

Head of Woman
Carl Newman, 20th century
At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Beautiful. Made this one large so you could extra-appreciate it.

Gardener's Mother (Kroll)

2011-09-07T00:14:00.003-04:00

The Gardener's Mother
Leon Kroll, 1925
At the SAAM.

A savvy grandma! This is clearly not a woman you mess with.

Mother of the Chief

2011-09-05T00:11:00.003-04:00

Wah-pe-séh-see, Mother of the Chief
[in Leavenworth, Kansas]
George Catlin, 1830
Another from the SAAM.

Women Seated at a Pedestal

2011-09-03T00:01:00.004-04:00

Woman Seated at a Pedestal
Jacob Kainen, 1967

Another from the SAAM. Yes, I'm working through my collection from back when I visited the museum in the spring, and then I'll move on to other things.

Woman Unveiled, Tajikistan

2011-09-01T23:55:00.002-04:00

Woman Unveiled (Tajikistan)
Louis Lozowick, 1932
Smithsonian American Art Museum

I'm moving to Central Asia! This means posts may become more occasional, but hopefully not.

In honor of the move, here's a pen and ink (I think? or woodcut?) of a woman in Tajikistan. Context: Areas such as what is now Tajikistan were part of the Russian Empire, so when the Soviets took over, they decide to forcibly unveil Muslim women within the Soviet Union. The goal was to "modernize" and "free" them, but it became a big struggle, as many women didn't actually want to be unveiled. Not sure how an American guy got over there to do sketches, but... an interesting work nevertheless...

Sleeping Woman (Barnet)

2011-08-30T23:52:00.002-04:00

Sleeping Woman
Will Barnet, 1938
At the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Woman in a Maroon Blouse

2011-08-28T23:50:00.004-04:00

Woman in a Maroon Blouse
William H. Johnson, 1940
At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Sister Catherine

2011-08-26T23:46:00.003-04:00

Sister Catherine (Portrait of a Young Woman)
S. Arlent Edwards, 1912
At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Káh-kée-tsee, Thighs, a Wichita Woman

2011-08-24T23:30:00.001-04:00

Káh-kée-tsee, Thighs, a Wichita Woman
George Catlin, 1834
Another from the SAAM.

Arab Woman

2011-08-22T18:18:00.003-04:00

Arab Woman, Kairouan [Tunisia]
William H Johnson, 1932
Another from the SAAM.

Family

2011-08-01T23:25:00.004-04:00

Family
Romare Bearden, 1986

Another Romare Bearden at the SAAM, this one showcasing women (old, midlife, young) in the context of family and centered around a father figure. As before, I love the abstracted results of Bearden's collages.

Woman on Chair

2011-07-31T23:20:00.003-04:00

Calligraphic #2 Woman on Chair
H. Lyman Saÿen, c. 1916

At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Love this one for the color and abstracted shapes -- look at how wonky one chair-arm is from the other!

Circus Girl Resting

2011-07-30T23:19:00.000-04:00

Circus Girl Resting
Yasuo Kuniyoshi, 1924

As I mentioned in my last post, Japanese-American artist Yasuo Kuniyoshi did a lot of pictures of circus women. In contrast to the last post, this work focuses on the woman's body -- in relation to fruit and repose - instead of on a relationship between mother and son. If you look up Kuniyoshi's work, you should find some more active poses as well.

Strong Woman and Child

2011-07-28T23:06:00.003-04:00

Strong Woman and Child
Yasuo Kuniyoshi, 1925
At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

So as usual, I seem to have posted ahead for a while and then let the updates lapse... sorry about that! This one, like the last few, is from the website of the SAAM in DC. I find it interesting for the 'realism' as well as for the less-warm relationship between mother and child -- they're there together, but not really "there" together. Kuniyoshi moved to America at a young age (according to wikipedia!) where he studied art. If you look up his work you'll find a lot of women circus performers... I may post a few more here soon.

Mother and Child - Romare Bearden

2011-07-14T12:58:00.002-04:00

Mother and Child
Romare Bearden, 1971
At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Romare is an African-American who worked a lot in collage. This piece looks both dry and delicate, and the collage allows for a lot of shading variations.

Mexican Family - Howard Cook

2011-07-12T12:53:00.003-04:00

Mexican Family
Howard Cook, 1940
At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Is it a religious picture? Not especially, but it's easy to interpret it that way, especially given the father's large hat. Thank you, Christian tradition, for making it easy to see God in every gent/ile family :-)

As a side note, the leaves in the background are truly superb.