Happy New Year! Maybe in 2025, we will get you go take a hard look at photography, I love your approach to the study of art history. Let me know if you want an image to start with. I can think of many in the cannon of photography.... maybe? Say yes? maybe?
I would love your take on my all time favourite photograph, which I finally tracked down last year, after 25 years of looking for it. It is a photograph by William Eugene Smith called 'Tomoko in Her Bath' (1972) - [link below]. Born in 1956, Tomoko was paralyzed, and deaf-mute. Her mother bathed her daily. Tomoko was a victim of chemical poisoning from an upstream factory in the town of Minamata in Japan. It was one of the first serious records of environmental chemical contamination and Eugene Smith and his wife travelled to Japan to tell the story.
A movie was made of this not too long ago, if you want the Coles notes version. It is worth seeing. It is called 'Minamata'. I am not usually a fan of Johnny Depp, but he does a great job as the photographer.
I see the Tomoko photograph as the Michelangelo Pieta of the photography world. Chilling and full of love all at the same time. Eugene Smith was an obsessive compulsive photographer who had a lot of daemons, but made incredible photographs. I would love your take on the comparison of this image and The Pieta.
In my little corner of the universe, the Tomoko photograph represents an ideal composition and made with available light it is unequalled, in my book, but then good photography is all about light. I have stood before the Pieta and once I got past the fact that it was smaller than I expected, it did the same thing for me, as the Eugene Smith photograph.
Let me know what you think.... or not. No pressure, but you asked! Happy New Year!
Wow, thank you for sharing this – what a powerful story. I can absolutely see why this picture resonates so deeply with you, and see the comparison to Michelangelo’s Pietà - both are highly intimate, sacred, sad, etc.
I’m so intrigued by the way you describe light playing such a critical role in the emotive power here. And you’re right, good photography (and sculpture for that matter) is all about light.
Honestly, I think you already have the makings of an incredible article in this comment. The passion and insight in your message alone make me want to read your take on this... not mine!! New Substack post maybe?
Another excellent article, thank you so much, Rebecca!💕 A good reminder to look past the surface. A very Merry Christmas to you!🎄
Yes! Slow looking is such a great way to get really involved in the arts :) Merry Christmas!!💖🎄✨
Thank you so much for taking us through an art historian’s thought process. It is an eye-opener for this engineer!
Merry Christmas!
So glad to help! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!💖🎄✨
Happy New Year! Maybe in 2025, we will get you go take a hard look at photography, I love your approach to the study of art history. Let me know if you want an image to start with. I can think of many in the cannon of photography.... maybe? Say yes? maybe?
Happy Christmas!
Yes...! I've never really done a deep-dive into photography. Any ideas?
Thanks Rebecca! And Merry Christmas to you as well from the Brush Chronicles!
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!💖🎄✨
Ha, since you asked.....
I would love your take on my all time favourite photograph, which I finally tracked down last year, after 25 years of looking for it. It is a photograph by William Eugene Smith called 'Tomoko in Her Bath' (1972) - [link below]. Born in 1956, Tomoko was paralyzed, and deaf-mute. Her mother bathed her daily. Tomoko was a victim of chemical poisoning from an upstream factory in the town of Minamata in Japan. It was one of the first serious records of environmental chemical contamination and Eugene Smith and his wife travelled to Japan to tell the story.
A movie was made of this not too long ago, if you want the Coles notes version. It is worth seeing. It is called 'Minamata'. I am not usually a fan of Johnny Depp, but he does a great job as the photographer.
I see the Tomoko photograph as the Michelangelo Pieta of the photography world. Chilling and full of love all at the same time. Eugene Smith was an obsessive compulsive photographer who had a lot of daemons, but made incredible photographs. I would love your take on the comparison of this image and The Pieta.
In my little corner of the universe, the Tomoko photograph represents an ideal composition and made with available light it is unequalled, in my book, but then good photography is all about light. I have stood before the Pieta and once I got past the fact that it was smaller than I expected, it did the same thing for me, as the Eugene Smith photograph.
Let me know what you think.... or not. No pressure, but you asked! Happy New Year!
You can see the photograph here:
https://leica-academy.gr/en/tomoko-uemura-in-her-bath-w-eugene-smith-minamata-1972/
Wow, thank you for sharing this – what a powerful story. I can absolutely see why this picture resonates so deeply with you, and see the comparison to Michelangelo’s Pietà - both are highly intimate, sacred, sad, etc.
I’m so intrigued by the way you describe light playing such a critical role in the emotive power here. And you’re right, good photography (and sculpture for that matter) is all about light.
Honestly, I think you already have the makings of an incredible article in this comment. The passion and insight in your message alone make me want to read your take on this... not mine!! New Substack post maybe?
Happy New Year to you too!