TIL JFK's official presidential portrait looks like a zombie silently judging you from the afterlife, and it's because it was only painted after his death. The artist's inspiration was a photo of Ted Kennedy mourning his brother and Jackie chose that one immediately out of all the options, partially because they were both bored with the same generic stance every president has.
I'm not really getting the thoughtful, humble vibe she intended it to have, but I do really like it
I don’t get thoughtful or humble, but if you were to put his portrait next to that of any ten presidents that survived their term and said that one was assassinated in office I’d know instantly every time even if I didn’t know the answer. It looks mournful and representative of his being dead.
And I think it’s interesting to wonder what it would’ve been like had he lived. I suspect something closer to Obama’s, something full of life
Lincoln was absofuckinglutely a war criminal. Now did his victims deserve it? Listen if anyone deserves war crimes it’s the confederacy. But yeah definitely did war crimes. Sherman’s march to the sea was the most based war crime there ever was.
The whole panana thing was p sketchy but since it wasn't technically an American war it isn't a war crime.
Also war crimes weren't really "invented" until Nuremberg so in some sense no one committed war crimes until then. Somewhat more awkwardly the nazis tried at Nuremberg were being judged by laws that weren't really codified until after they had committed them.
Imo war crimes isn't really a good way of phrasing it bc unlike a nations legal code which is usually fairly black and white, war crimes are international and therefore a lot more subject to politics. I'm glad they were punished but I wish it hadn't been execution in so many cases, and it has been called something like "acts unbecoming of a human". Something nasty but definitely not related to the legal system.
I am genuinely curious how the white house history website and whatnot will handle it if any of these convictions go through. Will they mention it? Will they omit it?
This is wonderful, but if anyone has a link to the one where every defendant except trump was made up as a DC comics supervillain (Trump hadn't turned himself in yet when I saw it yesterday) I would really appreciate it. I can't even remember what platform I saw it on, but it was glorious. It was so good it must be making the rounds but I have not seen it again.
I bought a bunch of silver last year, and Trump rounds (look like coins, but are just round bullion) were flying off the shelves. I kept my fool mouth shut every time I saw them. However, like you, if they made one with a Trump mugshot, I'd buy a tube of twenty five of them, and ask if they can produce a ten ounce bar with it on there.
Crazy to think the vast majority of the presidents are painted and then it shows the progression of our ability to capture high definition photos. Technology seems to be a recently exponential progression.
Soo, stupid question, but don't paintings require the subject to sit still for quite a while? Is is possible to take a picture and use that for the basis of the painting?
He did yes, but it was not a traditional portrait. He's in front of a bright green backdrop of vining plants while sitting in a chair. Admittedly it was an interesting composition but the actual painting work was subpar, unfortunately.
Hilary Clinton sat for eleven hours straight in front of a panel of hostile GOPs. They had weeks to prepare. Hilary sat there, answered every question completely, and walked away. You may not like her, but she was certainly ready for the job.