A Survey of American Genre PaintingDate: Thursday, February 23, 2012
Time: 7:00 pm
Arts & Culture Series
Lecture by James Maroney
American genre painting, the portrayal of ordinary people engaged in everyday activities, has its roots in portraiture, a painting of socially prominent or politically powerful individuals or couples. But it also owes a debt to History Painting, a biblical scene or military history rendered in a style reminiscent of the Greek and Roman periods. In that portraiture was static in nature, history painting entailed action. Composites of the two styles emerged In England, which was a family grouping, found standing in the woods or at play captured as if the painter had come upon them and asked them to pose, a style referred to as conversation pieces.
American portraiture appeared shortly after English settlers had unpacked their bags and continued into the 1720s when portrait painters began adding attributes, like books or horses or ships seen in their subjects’ otherwise unadorned backgrounds. By mid-century, scenes of unspecified people, that is nameless people, caught in the act of doing things made their appearance and the style known as genre, meaning "people" painting, was born.
This lecture will illustrate the emergence of this trend from its beginning in the 1750s to its heyday in the 1840s, its transformation into "kitsch" in the 1880s and its 20th century demise.
Location: St. Johnsbury Atheneaum, 1171 Main Street, St. Johnsbury, VT
Contact: St. Johnsbury Athenaeum
Phone: 802-748-8291
Email: inform@stjathenaeum.org
Website: www.stjathenaeum.org
Legislative BreakfastDate: Monday, February 27, 2012
Time: 8:00 am - 9:00 am
Speaker: Betsy Bishop, Vermont Chamber of Commerce Executive Director
Betsy Bishop, president of the Vermont Chamber, will serve as the guest speaker at the Northeast Kingdom Chamber legislative breakfast to be held Monday, Feb. 27, at the St. Johnsbury House, 1207 Main St, St. Johnsbury. Bishop, who has served at the helm of the 1,500-member chamber since July 2009, will address the business issues before the legislature this session, including health care, taxation, state tourism funding and workmen’s compensation.
Bishop, prior to joining the chamber, served as commissioner for the Economic Development Department of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and in the office of former Governor Jim Douglas. She worked with the Vermont Chamber and as a private economic development consultant before working for Governor Douglas’ administration.
The monthly programs provide area business people and residents an overview of the legislative session and concerns affecting the region. The public is invited to attend and encouraged to ask questions. The Northeast Kingdom Chamber organizes the monthly forums and will provide a brief legislative report.
The breakfasts are held the last Monday of each month, from 8 to 9 a.m. Please mark your calendars for the 2012 dates of Feb. 27, March 26, April 30 and May 21 (tentative).
The legislative breakfast series is sponsored by the Northeast Kingdom Chamber, with sponsorship assistance from Community National Bank, MMIC, Passumpsic Savings Bank and Union Bank. There is a small fee to attend the breakfast.
For more details, contact the NEK Chamber at 2000 Memorial Drive-Ste. 11 (after Jan. 11), St. Johnsbury, VT 05819; call 802-748-3678; or e-mail at director@nekchamber.com.
Location: St. Johnsbury House, 1207 Main Street, St. Johnsbury, VT
Contact: Darcie McCann
Email: director@nekchamber.com
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