James Fallows

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More political artwork

05 May 2009 07:15 am

We're nearing the end here. Four more proposed Old Master precursors for the memorable Obama group portrait. Previous candidates here. Probably one more crop to come, then the exciting lessons of our brief look at art.

First, Governors of the Wine Merchants Guild, by Ferdinand Bol. I won't pretend that this was the Old Master I was thinking of, since I'd not aware of having seen it before.  But still:
  GoverorsofWine.jpg

Portrait.jpg

Next, a detail from Raphael's School of Athens, featuring the raised-finger gesture we see from Obama.
 
SchoolofAthensDetail.jpg

After the jump, two more with the raised-finger motif.

The Death of Socrates, by Jacques-Louis David.
socrates.jpg

And, for regional balance, a raised-finger Buddha, by Chang Sheng-wen.
Buddha.jpg