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The Obama Portraits: But Is It Art?
American Thinker ^ | February 17, 2018 | Tim Mostert

Posted on 02/17/2018 6:52:01 AM PST by mairdie

The official portrait is part of an old tradition perfected by Renaissance painters more than 500 years ago. The artists were generally painting powerful old men, who tended to be a bit ugly. To make up for what lacked in the sitter's physical beauty, the artist would emphasize the internal. A great painting of a king or pope tells you something about the subject's inner thoughts, his psyche. The image is more about what's going on inside his head rather than the outer trappings of his position or status.

...

The Obama portraits are kind of shocking - not only because the paintings are so cliched and amateurish, but because Barack and Michelle would choose artists primarily by virtue of their skin color and radical views instead of whether they could actually pull off an official portrait. With no budget limitations, you choose these two? These substandard paintings will hang in the National Gallery for all time. I assume that the Obamas wanted to prove a point. With the Obamas, everything comes down to race and retribution, and here was one last chance to rub someone's nose in something.

The Obama portraits are a sad reflection on how bad a choice someone can make when given the opportunity to do something great.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Society
KEYWORDS: obamaportraits
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To: knarf

Mr. Natural! Bill Ding! 5 tube AC-DC radios! Is that Angelfood McSpade in the thought bubble? All the good old days stuff.

But where’s Flakey Foont? Dopin’ Dan the Army Man?


21 posted on 02/17/2018 7:17:15 AM PST by QBFimi (It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world... Tarfon)
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To: mairdie

I think what we have here is the presidential equivalent of embarrassing photos of parents from the 1970’s.


22 posted on 02/17/2018 7:19:28 AM PST by BlackAdderess (MAGA!)
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To: mairdie; All

“...but because Barack and Michelle would choose artists primarily by virtue of their skin color and radical views instead of whether they could actually pull off an official portrait.”

And just who, exactly, is surprised by this? It’s how they’ve made EVERY decision that I can see.

Also, those portraits are absolutely ridiculous. A final FU to We The People!


23 posted on 02/17/2018 7:19:47 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: mairdie

Was the artist conveying Obama in poison ivy? Obama in kudzu (an foreign entity that makes like a living hell through its invasive growth and a japanese plant).


24 posted on 02/17/2018 7:21:52 AM PST by KarlInOhio (I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered. My life is my own.)
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To: mairdie
If Obama’s portrait was made in China expect a flood of copies on eBay for $2.00 ,LOL
25 posted on 02/17/2018 7:23:06 AM PST by butlerweave
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To: mairdie

Just a pair of ugly people


26 posted on 02/17/2018 7:23:55 AM PST by okie 54
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To: Liz

The paintings remind me of those on display at Rod Serling’s “Night Gallery.”


27 posted on 02/17/2018 7:24:12 AM PST by PBRCat
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To: mairdie

Art....?
Art of the insult.


28 posted on 02/17/2018 7:27:01 AM PST by spokeshave (FBI = Feral Bureau of Insurrection)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Obamaturd has spunk of his face. So called artist likes interject swimming sperm in his artwork. Very appropriate for the first GAY presider.


29 posted on 02/17/2018 7:27:16 AM PST by wetgundog (Mainstream Media, Lying Liars Lying.)
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To: mairdie
Several words come to mind. "Art" is not one of them.

"Dreck", for example. Or "Schlock". Garbage. Rubbish. Pictorial drivel. Incompetence. Mediocrity. Stupidity. Filth. They might earn a "C" in a high-school art class.

30 posted on 02/17/2018 7:27:47 AM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: mairdie

I chuckle every time I see them. “The Emperor’s New Clothes” was never so apt - and best of all they did it to themselves!


31 posted on 02/17/2018 7:30:54 AM PST by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
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To: mairdie

These photos need captions:
Obama saying: I need my teleprompter so I can say something about the photo.
Michelle saying: Does my ass look big in this tablecloth.


32 posted on 02/17/2018 7:31:30 AM PST by ImNotLying (The Consti.tution is an instrument for the people to restrain the government...Patrick Henry)
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To: knarf

R. Crumb was far more of an artist than the two vile buffoons that painted the 0bama portraits. I wouldn’t recommend hiring R. Crumb (or anyone like him) to do a formal portrait, but in his own context he was very good. Those two buffoons can’t do formal portraiture; they also wouldn’t be able to do what R. Crumb did.


33 posted on 02/17/2018 7:33:44 AM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: ImNotLying

No captions culd be as good as yours....ROTFLOL.


34 posted on 02/17/2018 7:34:48 AM PST by Liz (Our side has 8 Trillion bullets; the other side doesn't know which bathroom to use.)
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To: ImNotLying

No captions culd be as good as yours....ROTFLOL.


35 posted on 02/17/2018 7:34:50 AM PST by Liz (Our side has 8 Trillion bullets; the other side doesn't know which bathroom to use.)
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To: ImNotLying

Those are both wonderful!


36 posted on 02/17/2018 7:34:59 AM PST by mairdie
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To: txrefugee

I don’t mind Obama’s portrait if he had hired the guy to paint him and then to hang it in his private home. It’s ok for that, same for the Mooch. To hang these alongside all the others, though, is another matter entirely.


37 posted on 02/17/2018 7:35:09 AM PST by dandiegirl (BO)
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To: txrefugee

There is a naughty marked-up version going around that makes your second point abundantly clear.


38 posted on 02/17/2018 7:38:35 AM PST by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust Sessions. The Great Awakening is at hand...MAGA!)
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To: BenLurkin
Clint Eastwood's "The Empty Chair." Perfect. 😀
39 posted on 02/17/2018 7:40:24 AM PST by madison10 (Pray for President Trump.)
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To: txrefugee

Pop art at it’s best. Ranks right up there with the Campbell’s soup can. Captured the true people. Phonies!


40 posted on 02/17/2018 7:43:18 AM PST by JayAr36 (Washinton DC, District of Corruption proven daily)
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