Art Analysis

                                                  Painting in Expressions of Wealth

In chapter  5, of Berger’s Ways of Seeing he argues that paintings early as the 1600s would represents ones wealth in some areas of the world. Families would get paintings done to show that they had money and could afford to buy paintings and would show them off in their homes. Only high classes could afford such art. A popular example would be portraits. A family would get a portrait of themselves done to show off how much money they had. The paintings would also represent power. Money would represent power because the wealthy people would have a control and influence on society.  Over all the idea of highest wealth was expressed in oil paintings.

Being able to afford fancy items was one thing but being able to afford a painting is what represented the highest wealth from around the 1500's to the early 1900's. Being able to afford a painting then would be like being able to afford $300,000 cars today, you get it to show off how much you make. It was held high than any fancy clothes or any other materialistic objects. Having a painting done was important to wealthy people because during that time period everything was about what class you were in. this is also an example of chapter 5 because the painting i is represented as a realist piece of art instead of a religious piece which was much more common before the 1500's.

                The painting I chose was by John Singer Sargent. He painted Portrait of Miss Elsie Palmer. This is a perfect example of Berger's argument in chapter 5 because when you take a look at this painting, you can tell that the woman is has some wealth. The woman in the painting, Elsie Palmer appearance does not look like she living in a lower class and being the daughter of General William Jackson Palmer which automatically tells you that she comes from a wealthy group of people. She is dressed up in a long white dress. Her hair is done up nice and she is wearing makeup. This also goes with Berger’s argument in chapter 5 because of the timing the portrait was done which was in 1890.

                Berger’s main argument in chapter 5 was wealthy being able to express how much money they made. Paintings separated the wealthy successful groups of people from the really rich wealthy types of people.  Having a painting was the highest example of one’s wealth.  In the painting I chose you can tell that it is a paint of a wealthy individual because she is in a nice dress, make up done and a poor person would not be able to afford to have something like this done. The year the portrait was completed and who the portrait was of really express his argument about showing wealth. There is no doubt about it that the founder of Colorado Springs was very wealthy and to have had this painting done of his daughter expresses that he had money to do so. 

 

John Singer Sargent, Portrait of Miss Elsie Palmer (A Lady in White), 1890, Oil Canvas, 2 deminsion.