I have selected Liberty by Constantino Brumidi. This painting was done in 1869, and was commissioned for the White House by President Ulysses S. Grant. The painting is an allegorical representation of “Liberty” and was commissioned alongside another painting, Union. These pieces represent the post-Civil War resurgence and indivisibility of the Union.
Brumidi’s painting depicts one woman, who is meant to be Liberty, wearing a white dress and draped red fabric. She holds a sword in her right hand, and a staff and a laurel wreath in her raised left hand. There is a red ribbon tied around the top of the staff, and there is an american flag that appears to be either also grasped in her left hand or attached to the staff, and it is flowing behind her. Lastly, a gold star shaped crown adorns her head.
This painting personifies the American idea of liberty, and the feelings and symbols that are associated with it.
The painting is tinted gold with the woman representing liberty structured in power with her chin tilted upwards towards the light source. The whole piece is generally bright, and the woman’s stance and weapons showcase strength, pushing a positive and patriotic connotation into the work.
I think that in my remake I can take the objects and lessen their impact in the piece. I would like to keep the feeling of empowerment brought on by the main subject, but I would like to take away some elements/ somehow alter them to fit into the background pattern, to make the meaning of the piece more abstract and able to pull different meanings from the piece.
I would like to take the American flag, the laurel wreath, and the ribbon elements from the original painting and combine them into a pattern. I think if I alter them into a floral like pattern that could fit in with the soft lighting and overall image. I would like to use these elements to create my own pattern because I think it will be a cool way to reimagine the original work of art.
