Decorating the White House with Smithsonian Art
Continuing a Washington tradition, the Obamas selected artwork from the Smithsonian collections to hang in their historic home
- By Abby Callard
- Smithsonian.com, August 04, 2009
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(Nicolas De Stael / Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden)
Nice
Nicolas De Stael
1954
Oil on linen
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Nicolas De Stael, a French painter born in Russia in 1914, studied at the Académie Royale Des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. He traveled throughout Europe and Northern Africa before settling down in France. “He tried to create something between a landscape and an abstraction,” says Brougher. He used a style called impasto, in which paint is applied with a palette knife or brush so that the strokes stay visible. The inspiration for this painting is most likely the French town of Nice, where he lived during World War II.
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Comments (5)
Am hunting a picture of an Indian Lady Sarah Brandon that my grandmother told me had hung in the White house as she was My grandmothers grandmother any information you can give me on this would be very helpful.
Posted by Cheri Mikes on August 4,2010 | 11:12 PM
Regarding these comments about Alma Thomas'"Watusi", I am reminded of the comment attributed to Pablo Picasso that, "the bad artists imitate, the great artists steal." Thomas' work here is a transformation of the Matisse painting. There is power in the decision to reverse colors and to change perspective from "L'escargot,"giving "Watusi" integrity to stand on its own as a distinctive piece.
Posted by Marshall Waddell on October 15,2009 | 04:11 PM
And just how much did the taxpayers of the United States contribute to this artist for this counterfeit "art"?
Will the Smithsonian be issuing a Correction in the next issue?
What a disgrace.
Posted by EPR on October 14,2009 | 10:56 PM
This painting is a direct copy (rotated 90 degrees) of Henri Matisse, L'escargot.
The comment that the artist is "trying to mix together different styles such as Henri Matisse’s cutouts" was an understatement!
This "work" if you want to call it "art" does not belong in a national museum!
The artist seems to be a bit of a scam artist rather than someone with real talent.
Posted by DEW on October 8,2009 | 07:30 PM
This isn't just "mixing together" influences including Matisse. It is a direct copy of a Matisse work, just rotated 90 degrees and with the colors switched around:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/strifu/2205522821
Posted by MDC on August 4,2009 | 01:27 AM