James Stuart by Anthony Van Dyck
Why is James Stuart wearing such fanciful duds in his Anthony Van Dyck portrait?
– The Order of the Garter
– Man’s best friend steals the show
– Performative emptiness
Trolley New Orleans by Robert Frank, 1955
Why is the Robert Frank photograph Trolley New Orleans so important?
– Segregated seating in black and white
– A complex framework of composition
– Truth, hard work, and hope
Mademoiselle V. in the Costume of an Espada by Édouard Manet
What’s the story behind Manet’s painting Mademoiselle V. in the Costume of an Espada?
– Manet’s favorite model dresses the part
– Realness and violence in a blurred background
– A lurking unconscious portrayed in paint