Artists With July Birthdays

Still Life with Parrot and Fruit (1951), Kahlo

Many of my favorite visual artists were born in July. In fact, all of them have been featured in this blog. Most were born under the sign of Cancer (or the Crab). They are typically emotional, hypersensitive, competitive, and often isolated people. 

Frida Kahlo (1907-54), born  July 6th, is famous for her unusual and often creepy self-portraits. I much prefer her still life paintings. Do parrots like watermelon?

The Wolffish (2004), Jamie Wyeth

Jamie Wyeth (1946-), son of Andrew Wyeth and grandson of N.C. Wyeth, was also born on July 6th. I chose this painting of a fierce wolffish preying on seagulls because it's unusual. Wyeth crowded the birds on the left side of the painting perhaps to balance the dark fish emerging from the right. His sense of humor reminds me of his father's Roadkill painting of a dead squirrel on a road alongside of a plantation house.

The Bridal Pair with The Eiffel Tower
(1939), Marc Chagall

Marc Chagall (1887-1985), born July 7th, is famous for his very large Surrealistic paintings. We visited his museum in Nice, France in May of 2011. Weddings are a popular theme for Chagall's works. As well as oversized farm animals! His dreamlike paintings are more like collages.

Still Life with a Coffeepot (1900), Pissarro

French Neo-Impressionist, Camille Pissarro (1830-1903), born July 10th, is most famous for his pastoral landscapes and harbor scenes. I had to include this still life, which happens to have bird wallpaper. The copper coffeepot and green ceramic mug are the stars of this painting, while the china teacup, bowl, and lemon are secondary in his composition.

Soaring (c. 1950), Andrew Wyeth

I seem to be including birds in my selections, so here is a magnificent scene of ravens soaring high above a small white farmhouse below. Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009), born July 12th, and his son, Jamie used ravens as their subjects in several paintings. Andrew spent long hours, weeks, even months alone in a barn painting, and wouldn't show anyone his work until it was done.

Head of a Woman (1918),
Modigliani

Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920), also born July 12th, painted portraits of women with elongated faces and necks. His subjects appear stretched in subtle 'S' shapes much like those of Marc Chagall.

James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903), also born July 12th, is most famous for his painting of his mother. His portraits, including his own self-portrait, have the subject facing in a left profile view. I feel like he was a one-hit wonder.

The Man With the Golden Helmet
(c. 1650-55), Rembrandt

Rembrandt (1606-69), famous for painting ~75 self-portraits in his lifetime, was born July 15th. In every museum I've visited, I've challenged myself to find at least one Rembrandt. My favorite is The Man With the Golden Helmet (1650). It has been attributed to Rembrandt, but may actually have been painted by a student of someone in his circle or artists. It has resided in Berlin's Kaiser Friedrich Museum, which we didn't get to visit during our Baltic cruise in June 2019.

Lady Caroline Howard (1778),
Reynolds

Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-92), born July 16th, was Principal Painter in Ordinary to the King from 1767–1784. Thomas Gainsborough, painter of Blue Boy (1770), was his rival for the position, never attaining the prominent title. Thomas Lawrence, who painted Pinky (1794), did eventually receive the coveted title.

In Front of the Mirror (1889), Degas

Edgar Degas (1834-1917), born July 19th, remained a bachelor all his life. He presented himself as a loner and his demeanor drove people away, something he desired as an artist. He was known to be a misogynist and was also anti-Semitic. No wonder nobody wanted to marry him (or vice versa)!

Like Modigliani, Degas signed this painting at the top righthand corner. Unusual! Especially since Modigliani was born a Sephardic Jew!!

Nighthawks (1942), Hopper

Edward Hopper (1882-1967), born July 22, is most famous for his melancholy painting, Nighthawks, of a sad group of people hanging out in a diner, very late at night or perhaps in the wee hours of the morning.

Nude Descending a Staircase,
No. 2 (1912), Duchamp

Our last artist was born under the sign of Leo (the Lion). Leos are ambitious and creative. Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968), born July 28, is most famous for his Cubist painting of a Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2. In the 1970s, my own brother was inspired to paint a futuristic version of the Frazier-Ali fight on a large canvas.

As I was researching and writing this post. I realized that most of my selections have either birds or hats in them. I guess this last painting doesn't fit the bill (Ha!)!

Animated and Cartoon Dads

In honor of Father's Day, let's explore animated and cartoon Dads. One of the earliest examples of husband and father is Dagwood Bumstead who first appeared in the Blondie (née Boopadoop) comic strip created by Chic Young in 1930. Over several years, Blondie transformed from a carefree flapper to a sensible suburban housewife, while her (then) rich boyfriend Dagwood went from wealthy straight man to penniless clown.

He was father to Baby Dumpling (Alexander) and Cookie Bumstead. The film series ran from 1938-1950, starring Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake.

Another popular comic strip (turned movie) was called, Bringing Up Father, which was created by cartoonist George McManus and ran from 1913-2000. The strip is about an immigrant Irishman named Jiggs who wins the lottery and can't seem to lose his middle-class ways. His wife, Maggie, wants him to rise to the upper class. They are raising daughter Nora and son Ethelbert.

Films

One of my favorite films, starring Irene Dunn and William Powell, is Life With Father (1947). The film was based on a 1939 play inspired by the 1935 autobiography of stockbroker and (The New Yorker) essayist Clarence Day. Father is a straitlaced turn-of-the-century man living in a household of boys whose mother (Vinnie) rules the roost. You may recall that Elizabeth Taylor played the young girl visiting from out of town who becomes the love interest of Clarence Jr.

In 1950, Dennis the Menace appeared on the scene with his rather innocuous father Henry Mitchell and wife Alice. The strip was created by Hank Ketcham. Neighbor Mr. Wilson is more prominently involved in Dennis' capers and we only see Henry leaving for work or arriving home to hear about Dennis' exploits. The popular TV series ran from 1959-63 with Joseph Kearns and Gale Gordon playing Mr. Wilson. Let's not forget the 1993 film version starring Walter Matthau as Mr. Wilson.

We all remember the character of Peter Pan. He first appeared in 1902 in The Little White Bird by J.M. Barrie, in his 1904 play, and later in the 1952-3 animated version by Walt Disney. Maybe you recall George Darling as the father of the children (Wendy, John, and Michael) that Peter visits and carries away to Neverland. While the Robin Williams 1991 film version, Hook, has George Darling as a grown-up Pan, the father has doubled as Captain Hook in the 1954 musical version starring Mary Martin. For my daughter, we always referred to this as the 'people version' of the Disney animation.

Animation & Cartoon Characters

In the 1956 children's novel by Dodie Smith, Pongo is the dalmatian father responsible for 101 puppies. He also appeared in the 1961 Disney animation and the 1996 movie starring Glenn Close as Cruella de Vil. I'm not sure about the 2021 prequel, Cruella starring Emma Stone as a young Estella/Cruella.

In the 1940s Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Tom and Jerry cartoons, Tom was often tormented by Spike. The American bulldog and his son, Tyke also appeared in (1957) animated short subjects.

My favorite animated dad has to be 1959-61 Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Doggy Daddy (father to Augie Doggie). I think they were Bassett hounds. See my post, Animated and Cartoon Dogs from December 2021.

Talking Great Dane Scooby-Doo (Scoobert "Scooby" Doo) and best pal/owner Shaggy (Rogers) comprise the bungling duo of the Mystery Inc detectives.  In 1979 Hanna-Barbera added Scooby's son, Scrappy-Doo. As with Augie Doggie, Scrappy was smarter than his canine father.

Popeye was uncle to four nephews: Pipeye, Peepeye, Poopeye and Pupeye. He was also father to adopted son, Swee'pea. Poopdeck Pappy also appeared as Popeye's father in the cartoon series created by E. C. Segar in 1936.

Papa Smurf was the patriarch of the little blue elfin creatures that first appeared in 1958. He's the only character who didn't wear white. He was voiced by many talented voice actors, including Mandy Patinkin. There was even a Grandpa Smurf who was voiced by Jonathan Winters.

The Flintstones (1960-66) character Fred was based on bus driver Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) from the Honeymooners. Even the voice of Wilma is reminiscent of that of Alice Kramden (Audrey Meadows). Fred became a father in 1963 when his daughter Pebbles was born. Also in the third season, Bamm-Bamm was adopted by neighbors Barney and Betty Rubble.

The Jetsons began in 1962 with "Rosey the Robot" maid. George Jetson was father to teenager Judy and younger son Elroy Jetson. Hanna-Barbera and Disney were responsible for giving us animated family entertainment.

The Rugrats (1991-2006) was about the exploits of the Pickles kids from their perspective. Big sister, (meanie) Angelica, Tommy (main character), and baby Dil were fathered by Stu Pickles. His father, Lou also appeared in the cartoon series, along with redheaded Chuckie Finster (and his father Chas).

I never got the chance to go to a baseball game with my father. Luckily, I 've gone to many professional baseball games with my daughter.

Beach Scenes & Women with Parasols/Umbrellas

On the Beach (1873), Édouard Manet

Beach scenes were popular subjects in the paintings of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As you can see here, Édouard Manet and his wife are fully dressed and seated on the beach to watch the big ships sail by. Both subjects are well-covered as if they needed protection from the sun, suspiciously absent from their surroundings. The gray and black figures stand out against the pale-yellow sand. Curiously, Madame Manet's bonnet and shoe get the most detail.

Woman with a Parasol (1875), Monet

Continuing with three paintings by Claude Monet, I must include Woman with a Parasol (1875) even though it may not be a beach scene like the other two paintings. I love the atmospheric effects that Monet has achieved in this painting of his wife and child. Monet reflected the green ground in the underside of Madame Monet's parasol. Her white dress is like a canvas reflecting the colors of her surroundings, making it seem like we're looking through and beyond her. I love this painting!

The Beach at Trouville (1870), Monet

Earlier, in 1870, Monet depicted this scene of The Beach at Trouville. It may have well been people walking on a city street instead of a boardwalk and sandy beach. This northernmost coastal city of France is over 700 miles from southernmost Nice, where we visited in May 2011, yet it looks quite similar. 

Beach in Pourville (1882), Monet

Monet painted a series of more impressionistic beach scenes in 1882. The shadows of the cliffs in the bottom corner distract me almost to the point of drawing a 'line of tension'. Fortunately, the sandy curved shoreline directs me eye toward the muted building in the background.

By the Seashore (1883), Renoir

Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted lots of portraits of women, including this one where the subject is posing in a wicker chair in the artist's studio. He added the beach scene in the background based on studies he did en plein air (outside).

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of
La Grande Jatte (1884-6), Seurat

The classic A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte was painted by Georges Seurat and depicts Parisians relaxing in a park on an island in the Seine River. It's probably the most famous Pointillist work of Neo-Impressionism. And also a very large painting measuring 6.6 ft × 9.8 ft. I usually try to tell my students the size of the painting that inspired my art lesson.

Fishing Boats at Sainte-Marie (1888), Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh's beach scenes typically contain brightly colored fishing boats. This one resembles Renoir's By the Seashore in that the subject boats stand out vividly against the more pastel background. The distant sailboats on the water almost disappear at the horizon.

Idle Hours (1894), Chase

I'm less familiar with American Impressionists such as William Merritt Chase. When I saw this scene of his family relaxing on a grassy knoll, it instantly reminded me of Port Townsend, Washington (sans Pt. Wilson lighthouse). Chase was also an art teacher who taught two of my favorite painters: Georgia O'Keeffe and Edward Hopper.

Lady with a Parasol (1900-1), Sargent

My favorite portrait painter has to be John Singer Sargent. His Capri Girl (my favorite) and other more formal portraits are unlike this one of a reclining Lady with a Parasol. Though in an awkward position, the shapes and swirling lines make for an almost abstract composition. I enjoy stumbling upon these gems whether I'm researching for my blog or visiting an art museum.

Women Walking on a Beach (1909), Sorolla

Our final artist is Spanish painter, Joaquín Sorolla. He has successfully captured his wife and eldest daughter taking a stroll along a beautiful beach. I love the movement and his ability to create a subtle value range using whites and grays. I'm assuming the daughter is on the right, carrying only her straw hat, while her mother is burdened with a coat and umbrella. Sorolla has cut off his wife's head and interrupts the wave crest with her hat and his daughter's hair.