The Massachusetts Medievalist always enjoys visiting the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge MA; the curators there do a great job swapping out the collection, so there's always something new to see from this prolific artist in the lovely, small space.
Interesting interpretation! I did not get the male gaze idea at all, what I felt from it was a sense of repetition in history - the Sargent painting shows a woman in the oldest era, the Picasso shows a woman in the next oldest era, the woman in the curlers shows the older than ‘modern’ era looking at the oldest (traditional?) era, the redhead shows the ‘modern era’, looking at the second oldest era (rebellious?), and the little girl shows the future era, looking at the oldest era, but modelling herself after the older than ‘modern’ era.
I’m from the 90s where there was some influence in fashion from the 60s, and kids today have brought back fashion and culture from the 90s… When there is too much tradition we crave rebellion, when there is too much rebellion, we crave tradition. And we are always bringing things back from the past while also innovating for the future. I personally felt this painting was showing that culture is cyclical.
This painting does take place at the Art Institute of Chicago and my mother was the "model for the mom in curlers. My mother, Thelma Soderlind Heagstedt. worked in the publicity department at the Art Institute in the "60's. When Norman Rockwell visited she was in charge of taking him around and securing models for the painting he was planning. However, Mr. Rockwell did not like the model my mother hired and said he wanted to use her instead. He took her to Marshall Fields and bought her the coat in the painting. When he said he wanted her in curlers, my mother said that nobody would wear curlers to the Art Institute. He said, "lets go for a walk" and proved her wrong. My mother was shocked. I would love to get a print of this painting if you know a source. I spoke to the Rockwell Museum/historians a while back and they said the painting is in a private collection. I do have a tear sheet from the issue of Look Magazine and have done some prints but they are very poor quality. He captured my mother so well, she is very recognizable. Unfortunately I used to have a thank you note that he wrote to her, but after many moves it seems to have gotten lost.
Wow! This is an amazing story! When I saw the painting last spring, it was still listed as "private collection" so I suspect your best bet is a print of one of the digital images floating around. And great to know that your mother agreed with mine on the curlers!
I was so surprised when you had that pov in your commentary. I had to write. She also said nobody would wear jeans! The young woman Artist could be someone today!
Interesting interpretation! I did not get the male gaze idea at all, what I felt from it was a sense of repetition in history - the Sargent painting shows a woman in the oldest era, the Picasso shows a woman in the next oldest era, the woman in the curlers shows the older than ‘modern’ era looking at the oldest (traditional?) era, the redhead shows the ‘modern era’, looking at the second oldest era (rebellious?), and the little girl shows the future era, looking at the oldest era, but modelling herself after the older than ‘modern’ era.
I’m from the 90s where there was some influence in fashion from the 60s, and kids today have brought back fashion and culture from the 90s… When there is too much tradition we crave rebellion, when there is too much rebellion, we crave tradition. And we are always bringing things back from the past while also innovating for the future. I personally felt this painting was showing that culture is cyclical.
This painting does take place at the Art Institute of Chicago and my mother was the "model for the mom in curlers. My mother, Thelma Soderlind Heagstedt. worked in the publicity department at the Art Institute in the "60's. When Norman Rockwell visited she was in charge of taking him around and securing models for the painting he was planning. However, Mr. Rockwell did not like the model my mother hired and said he wanted to use her instead. He took her to Marshall Fields and bought her the coat in the painting. When he said he wanted her in curlers, my mother said that nobody would wear curlers to the Art Institute. He said, "lets go for a walk" and proved her wrong. My mother was shocked. I would love to get a print of this painting if you know a source. I spoke to the Rockwell Museum/historians a while back and they said the painting is in a private collection. I do have a tear sheet from the issue of Look Magazine and have done some prints but they are very poor quality. He captured my mother so well, she is very recognizable. Unfortunately I used to have a thank you note that he wrote to her, but after many moves it seems to have gotten lost.
Wow! This is an amazing story! When I saw the painting last spring, it was still listed as "private collection" so I suspect your best bet is a print of one of the digital images floating around. And great to know that your mother agreed with mine on the curlers!
I was so surprised when you had that pov in your commentary. I had to write. She also said nobody would wear jeans! The young woman Artist could be someone today!
Very cool!! The curlers had me hung up a bit, but interesting to know the truth vs. perception! I love hearing personal anecdotes behind artwork ♥