up a creek with half a paddle

I have an enormous art crush on John Singer Sargent and don't particularly like Renoir (who, unfortunately, is the subject of my seminar). So I've got to connect them somehow; I'm thinking through Orientalism and exoticism (studio orientalism and the aesthetics of transformation? The fantasy of the [exotic] woman in nature?), and the trick is going to be figuring out a way to connect the images below (and about 50 other images). Presentation is on Tuesday, have written about one-third of a page. Situation dire. Eek.

Renoir, (1872) Parisian Women Dressed as Algerians

Renoir, (1870) Odalisque-Woman of Algiers
Sargent, (1907) Dolce Far Niente (It is Sweet Doing Nothing)

Sargent, (too tired to look up the date) Egyptian Girl

Courbet, (1856-7) Young Ladies on the Banks of the Seine in Summer

Nude woman (photograph after Ingres) [comment: rrrrow!]

Sargent, (1880) Fumee d'Ambergris

I suppose I can just throw a lot of Sargent pictures up and wax rhapsodic. Mmmm.

Stay tuned for next week when we explore the incredibly poorly-researched and documented BaKwele masks of equatorial Africa!

In other exciting news: QPs have been approved by first readers. I have only to receive approval from the second readers by May 7th and I'll have my masters. Sweet.

Originally posted April 20, 2008.