That is my favorite painting. Sometimes, when in certain states of inebriation, I like to think that I modeled for it in a past life. It's certainly something I would do, no? The painting is called 'Two Girls' and it's by the artist Christian Schad, who did much of his work during the Weimar Period in Germany.
I think about the 1920's and wish I could have experienced them. Despite the rampant nature of the clap it was a unique era. Women got the vote and with that vote came a real voice, politically and otherwise. Finally, we were considered people. People who could make choices for themselves. I think now that most women are complacent to blame and do nothing. They sit and watch reality television and don't indulge in the one thing that so many fought for, something that was illegal less than a hundred years ago.
But I digress....
The twenties were also an era humming and bursting with creative activity. There was also a certain sort of sexual liberation, especially in Paris and Berlin. While Germany resided in an economic depression after World War I the Nazis had not yet taken over and there was this interesting dichotomy between the haves and have nots, which I think spurred on even more creativity.
Anyway, I think the history behind the era that the painting was created in makes it even more interesting and beautiful. I remember the first time I saw this painting was back in 2006 when the Metropolitan Museum of Art had a special exhibition called 'Glitter and Gloom' that featured works from the Weimar Period. I'm pretty sure I stood and stared at it for a very long time and that I had to be dragged away. I wish it was more well known so that I could find a poster print of it to hang in my house. Oh well. C'est la vie.
Oh, I'll be in New Jersey next month, spending three or so days in Massachusetts. Who wants to hang out?
