Trump’s takeover of American life recalls Goya’s “Saturn Devouring His Son”
Have you seen our president’s Biblical-sounding post intoning the words, “He who saves his country does not violate any law.” His announcement came after he signed an executive order giving himself license to defund any federal agency with an agenda he doesn’t like.
Goodbye Constitution. Hello chaos. The mind flashes back to Max Ernst’s 1973 painting of outrage - “The Fireside Angel” – his reaction to the defeat of the Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War and the chaos of fascism that followed.
One may wonder if in his fury Ernst pictured himself stamping his foot against the spread of fascism throughout Europe. He used the word “angel” in his picture title clearly to confuse viewers to match his own confusion wrought by fascism. An angel is usually pictured in art as beauty, not beastial as he painted it.
Even in paintings of the Bible story of "Jacob wrestling with the Angel" the angel is not seen as hostile. Consider Rembrandt’s rendition. Instead of the angel locked in battle with Jacob, it acknowledges its divinity as it gently cradles Jacob.
By contrast, Ernst's grotesque portrayal of an angel makes plain how angry he was about fascism taking hold of his world. The painting could also stand in for America’s anger at the way Trump has thrown in with Putin and abandoned our allies.
Also standing in for Americans’ anger over Trump cavalierly overturning the laws of our land is the memorable line of outrage from the 1976 movie “Network”: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.”
Ernst’s “Fireside Angel” may well be the best outrage painting of all time. But a close runner-up would be Goya’s 1797 painting “Saturn Devouring His Sons, based on the Greek myth that recounts the Titan’s behavior. He was so afraid of a prophecy foretelling his children causing his downfall, he ate them.
What you see is a monstrous figure feasting on a human form, literally devouring him with a head and arm already missing. Isn’t that what Trump is doing - eating away American rights piece by piece? Look out for an executive order disallowing elections.
Artist ~ Originals and Archival Prints
2 周You're a fantastic art critic but your political analysis doesn't portray the mindset of the 77 million voters, Independent & Republican, who voted for Trump and see his actions as cleaning up decades of corruption. I only point this out as you seem to think all Americans agree w/your viewpoint. Perhaps you should venture out of your art critic wheelhouse and actually listen to other people's viewpoints who are Americans that don't see him as a fascist dictator.