So I'm not going to lie. . . the National Portrait Gallery was amazing!! Everything about the gallery was fascinating, from the portraits themselves to the architecture of the building. I couldn't help but feel as we progressed around the building that everything was preserved in a way that captured a moment in history, like a snapshot. I have to say that my only complain was that we didn't get a tour around the entire gallery but then again I can always return on my own.
All the portraits were captivating in their own way but there was one in particular that truly mesmerized me from the first second. It was a portrait that wasn't mentioned in the tour, it was a portrait of George Washington Carver. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/3011392123/ (I hope I posted this link right so you can see the portrait) In the portrait Carver is seen caring for flowers. It's hard to describe but the portrait evoked a sense of peace and quiet within me. The colors used in the portrait were so soft and used in light brushstrokes. The thing that really drew me into the portrait were Carver's hands. They were gently cupped such a way around the flowers, in a caring way. I couldnt' help but notice how the portrait perfectly captured the essence of Carver. From what I remember Carver was an intellectual man who focused much of his research on agriculture and also championed an improvement in racial relations. However, it was not necessary to know this since the portrait portrayed him as a man of peaceful empowerment. I realized that portraits are not only a way of remembering someone but also a way of capturing an essence and evoking that to the audience.
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2 comments:
I loved that portrait as well =) I don't really know much about Carver but I gathered most of his character simply by looking at his portrait.
It is truly a masterpiece to me.
I was actually wondering who was displayed in that portrait. I am so glad that you wrote about him because my curiosity is sated now. Due to the fact that I was in sheer amazement at the Toni Morrison portrait I was only able to glance at that portrait and then it was time to go! I never realized until we went to the National Portrait Gallery, that so much thought went into these paintings so that the correct identity would be relayed to us-- the visitors. I like how you describe Carver's identity, I agree with that description.
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