William Blake Exhibition Catalog 2022 - Flipbook - Page 14
saw of the Marines playing dead in the 1922 reenactment made me think
of the lithograph.
So the painting Good Friday attempts to hold both those sentiments, it’s
somber and weighted but it’s also a Marine playing dress-up, playing dead.
Manet also held my attention because he painted the Battle of Cherbourg,
JP: As you know, both of our practices have a lot of similarities. We’re
had a stint with the French Navy, and fought in the National Guard during
both history painters and we both deal in portraiture. Also, I think race
the initial siege of Paris. I thought it was fitting because the next time a
and our American history of white supremacy, are always resonant on both
German army approached Paris it was engaged by the US Marine Corps at
of our artwork. Mine may be a bit more direct.
the Battle of Belleau Wood. A battle that helped shape the identity of the
Corps and had some of its veterans participate in the 1922 reenactment.
I also love the paintings of Thayer, Beaux, Whistler, Chase, and Julian
Scott so there’s some of that in there as well.
JP: I did not know about the Manet litho! Is your painting only a
So here I have a few questions: In another conversation you mentioned
as a kid you had an obsession with Robert E. Lee. Obviously that interest
has evolved and matured, but could you talk on how that strong interest
came about and existed with you as a kid and then how you think and feel
about the Confederate General today.
reference to that or is it a reference to that and the matador painting? I’m
WB: It might be a bit strange to have favorite generals, but as a kid
guessing it’s both. So my question is: In your answer do you think you
that’s what it was. I had a list, top one being Gen. Benjamin Grierson, but
could acknowledge both works by Manet? I’m thinking a lot of the readers
yes, the Grey Fox was up there. I imagine it had to do with the way Shelby
will see this painting and their minds will go straight to the matador and,
Foote spoke about him, the way Martin Sheen portrayed him, and the
like me, they may not know about the litho.
respect he garnered from those he fought. Some folks love Darth Vader
WB: For sure, I imagine that the litho was drawn onsite as he
and I was into Lee.
ventured back into Paris but the image has its DNA in the dead toreador
Like everything, as you grow up the context becomes larger and you
painting, which he lifted from a painting thought to be by Velasquez. I
can see the successful strategy of Chancellorsville, see the benefits of not
see a progression from the playful theatrics of his early paintings in the
micromanaging, and also to not idolize a traitorous slave holder who used
mid 1860’s, to the political heaviness of the execution of Maximillian and
his skills for a cause of white supremacy.
then culminating with these lithographs. You can kind of feel it. There’s
a different sentiment between the litho and the toreador painting even
though it’s a very similar image.
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JP: Generally, in your practice, how do you try to acknowledge,
reference or represent our history of race?
WB: Like you said, we’re history painters, figurative painters. Painting
