Sunday, April 18, 2010

Erupting Images

p drawing 3

When I was in grad school, I wrote my master's thesis on Hester Lynch Piozzi, a salon hostess and grand tourist of the 18th-century English gentry. Specifically, I looked at the section of her travel journal that covered her time in Naples, Italy. While doing research for the project, I discovered something really interesting about the wealthy female tourists of the late 18th and early 19th century who visited southern Italy: some of them comissioned paintings of themselves with active volcanoes in the background. Others wrote about approaching the natural phenomena in fiction and their travel diaries. One of the chapters in my thesis concentrated on this topic. If I had continued my studies, I probably would have researched it further and written at least an article about it. Instead, I left my Phd program after getting another MA and here I am several years later drawing my own version:)

Below is an example, although you can't really see the exploding volcano very well in this small image. (Its easier to see it in the link...just click on the image or credit link.) This is Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein's portrait of Junge Dame mit Zeichengerat from 1816.

Credit

I came up with my own theories when I wrote the chapter, but I won't get into that here. No matter what the reasons were, this is really interesting, isn't it?

19 comments:

  1. It is interesting, makes me want to go do some research. I love your illustration, it's so detailed and colorful. Great job.

    What a lovely portrait, I enlarged and the detail is just beautiful, would like to see it for real.

    xxx

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  2. the colors in your portrait are awesome

    and yes that is totally weird haha

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  3. How FASCINATING! I did one of my doctoral candidacy exams all about 19th century travel and my dissertation was focused on the visual and textual representations produced of and by 19th century women mountaineers. I LOVE that our academic interests intersect in some way..and I think both images are just incredibly interesting. I spent waaaay to much time applying gender and sexuality theories to mountain landscapes. Volcanoes take things to a whole 'nother level!!!!!

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  4. The painting is fabulous... you made me think. What could be the reason behind the love for active volcanoes? Maybe they want to show the world that they are fierce and hot like the erupting volcanoes. xoxo

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  5. Thank you so much for not only sharing this self portrait but also for sharing about your research during graduate school! It sounds extremely interesting and awesome!

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  6. The plans are going great thank you!! I actually wanted to take some pictures of some of the possible dresses that i was gonna wear before it just to see what you thought maybe Ill do that tomorrow morning

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  7. I want it. Your picture is so psychedelic and amazing. You should make prints! I adore volcanoes. What are your masters in? Art, history, both?

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  8. Yes, extremely interesting! I'm totally loving your art posts Kelley, I eventually want to go back to school for art history, and you are totally inspiring me!! The illustrations you do are amazing.

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  9. Your studies sound so fascinating.. and I love your version of a portrait with the volcano. What was your other MA in?
    PS. Thanks for the link you sent me!

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  10. There's no way I'd ever meet someone you studied what you did in grad school in my daily life, where I live, so this is nice, this is really nice to know. I won't pretend like I know where to start looking for more answers or stories because this is so out of my league haha, so much so that I love it! Does it make sense?!

    Amazing colours you used on your self-portrait, the colours in the hair and it's pretty cool that you didn't draw yourself a dainty dress yknow?

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  11. wow, that's such an interesting story!
    a very unique phenomenon. you have such great point of view to have come up with such things.
    i really want to read the whole thesis, really. especially the theory part, it would be splendid i believe :D

    neways, i still believe that u should take another phd program. you're such and intelligent person. academical world needs someone like you. :D

    and another wonderful picture you drew there!!! really!

    loves,
    -CR
    sociologicallystylish.blogspot.com

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  12. so gorgeous and very interesting thesis.

    x
    mila.

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  13. that IS fascinating. I never would have imagined it to be picturesque, though thinking on it now, volcanos in eruption are actually quite beautiful. I like seeing how your outfits are influenced by your vibrant array of color and pattern in your art, and vis versa.
    -indigo

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  14. So.damn.interesting.

    I just wanted to pop over and say thank you for entering the giveaway for my Karma Cards over on the Much Love blog. We've got a few sets left for sale if you're still keen! (cough, shameless self-promotion, cough) ;D

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  15. It definitely is interesting. I'm going to look it up fo sho,

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  16. I love Art history(it is so important). Have you ever seen the documentary on art history by Simon Schama? You probably didn't need to since it was your specialty but it is amazing how artists can influence and change culture. As an undergrad I'm studying it all right now. I am really interested in American, 20th century Cold War Era and African at the moment. I have the hardest time specializing. I'm not taking any history classes this semester and miss it terribly. (although all the wars can be so depressing.) It took me a long time to come to realize I should just study what I love and not be overly practical. Is your other masters in library science? I actually thought of being a librarian but at the moment I want to work for a non profit. It would be cool to be a professor like my husband is going to be but after he gets his degree and I mine we might want to take a long break from school. I really love going to school I just get so stressed out by tests and papers.

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  17. i would have never noticed the volcano, much less taken the time to research it! this is why we need people like you in the world ... thank you for sharing this entry!

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  18. Okay, I so want to hear your own ideas! That is so interesting. Very cool. Art history is fascinating, isn't it?

    btw: your drawing is awesome.

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  19. History can be quite inspirational

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I'd love to hear your thoughts!