Chapter Text
[Excerpt from the speech of chief curator Virginia M. Mecklenburg at the opening banquet of the “Steve Rogers: A History Through Art” Exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, January 5, 2012]
“Welcome to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. It is my pleasure to introduce to you all an exhibit that has been many years in the making...
“So rarely are we presented with opportunities to join art and history in a union as perfect as this one. Though Captain Steven Roger sacrificed his life for our country more than sixty years ago, his legacy lives on in history books, documentaries, independent films, and now, thanks to our generous donors, in galleries as well. His work provides us with a singular perspective of pre-war American society, as well as a unique window into the soul of the American hero himself. The first piece we have in our collection was recovered by the recently passed Rebecca Barnes, and was donated to the museum by her son…”
***
DEPARTMENT of ART HISTORY – NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
Art History 254
Art in the Americas, 1900 – 1950
Professor Julia Martin
Spring 2012
Guidelines for Spring Term Final Paper
This assignment requires you to identify an artist and work/s on which you want to write, pose a question, and analyze and use your best scholarship as you propose a way to answer your question. You should choose a subject as early as possible. Due dates for different steps in the research process will be provided along the way so that you don’t fall behind.
Please note: this is not a paper that can be written at the last minute! I know you all think you’re geniuses when you’re writing at 4:00 AM and you’ve just finished your third Red Bull but I promise, it will not work! I’m the one who had to read many of your midterms from last semester. I can tell the difference between a paper started the month before and a paper started the night before.
Your final paper must be turned in online no later than Friday, May 4th, 11:59 PM.
1. All papers should be printed double-space, with pages numbered in the MLA Style format.
...
9. Final papers should be clear, imaginative, and bold to articulate a thesis and theory and should incorporate as much of the original source material as possible to support your ideas. In other words, use evidence to write something I haven’t read before. Make me rethink my entire existence as a professor of art history. Be original Be creative. Be yourself.
***
JEN: what r u writing your art history term paper on
BETH: idk
JEN: dude the whole topic proposal/research q is due in like two hours???
BETH: i know i know i knowwwwww
JEN: u r so screwed
BETH: I KNOWWWWW
JEN: JUST PICK SOMETHING THENNN
BETH: I’M TRYINGGGGG
BETH: ugh bring me coffee pls? :3
JEN: k
BETH: wait seriously????
JEN: sure
BETH: omg u r the best girlfriend ever :D :D :D :D
JEN: i know <3
***
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Captain Steve Rogers: A History Through Art [Exhibit]
1. “Family Portrait” - 1924
Artist: Steven Rogers
Date: 1924 (estimated)
Medium: Crayon on Paper
Dimensions (H x W): 3 1/3 in x 4 1/8 in
Description: This drawing is the earliest recovered original work produced by Steve Rogers. The piece is believed to depict himself in between his mother, Sarah Rogers, and his childhood friend, James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes. At this time, Steve Rogers would have been six years old. The drawing was among the collection saved by Rebecca Barnes, James’s older sister, which was later donated to the museum by Rebecca’s son.
—
[The drawing is small. The three figures are crude, disproportionate, clumsy—drawn with a hand not yet comfortable holding a crayon. That would change, of course. There will come a time when a pencil is as familiar as his own fingers, when callouses form to mold his hand around a pencil shaft, when drawing a face is as easy as remembering it.
(Not yet, though. He still has time.)
The figure on the right is tall, yellow-haired. She’s his mother. The figure on the left is shorter, black-haired. He’s his best friend. All of them are holding hands, their long, spindly arms outstretched and their long, spindly fingers crookedly intertwined.
(The day Steve Rogers drew this picture, the older woman who owned the grocery at the corner had asked him this was a drawing of his family. Steve had told her no—Bucky was his best friend, not his family.
She’d smiled and nodded, but the woman had known better.)]
***
JEN: DID U SUBMIT THE TERM PAPER PROPOSAL????
BETH: DUDE I’M FUCKED
JEN: ohmygod do u at least have an idea????
BETH: all i got when i googled for ideas is captain america
JEN: wtf??
BETH: ya apparently the Smithsonian just opened an exhibit with all his drawings n shit
JEN: i didn’t know he was an artist… but sounds good do that
BETH: what no
JEN: WHY THE FUCK NOT YOU HAVE TO BE DONE IN 20 MINUTES!!
BETH: jeeeez, okokokokok point taken
JEN: that’ll be easy, just make ur research q, like, how does his work reflect the time period from whence he came? or some bs like that
BETH: ok i’m using that
JEN: wait no
BETH: TOO LATE I WROTE IT MWAHAHAHA
***
Elizabeth Roswell
Professor Julia Martin
Art History 254
February 8, 2012
Term Paper Topic Proposal and Research Question
Topic: My paper will focus on the work of Captain Steve Rogers and how it relates ti the historical context from which he came. Born in 1918, Rogers experienced many of America’s most interesting time periods: the Prohibition Era, the Great Depression, and, most memorably, World War II. As one of America’s most memorable 20th century icons, the artwork Rogers left behind will be an interesting study of both the man himself and the United States he fought so passionately for.
Research Question: To what extent did the artwork of American hero Captain Steve Rogers reflect the historical context he lived in?
Four Annotated Source Citations:
- Mecklenburg, Virginia M. "Captain Steven Rogers: A History through Art." Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution, 5 Jan. 2012. Web. 08 Feb. 2012.
This source…
***
BETH: I just BS-ed an entire topic proposal in 15 minutes
JEN: tbh im both disappointed and impressed
***
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Captain Steve Rogers: A History through Art [Exhibit]
2. “Portraits: Bucky Barnes” – 1930
Artist: Steven Rogers
Date: 1928-1932
Medium: Pencil on Paper
Dimensions (H x W): 7 3/4 in x 6 in, 12 3/4 x 8 1/2
Description: These portraits, drawn when Rogers was between the ages of ten and fourteen, are the earliest authentic portrait pieces recovered to date. Although still uncertain, most historians agree that the subject of this portraits is Steve Roger’s childhood friend, James “Bucky” Barnes. The drawings were among those saved by Rebecca Barnes, James’s older sister, which were later donated to the museum by Rebecca’s son.
—
[The portraits take up most of the page. The dark, slow lines are clumsy but careful, like a cartographer trying to map an uncharted shore. The darkest lines emanate from focal points on the boy’s face—his eyes, his nose, his mouth. The paper is coated with indents left from lines drawn and erased and drawn and erased in a fruitless search for perfection. Rather than bringing the piece closer to its goal of reality, each ghost merely muddies the page until the final lines are nearly indistinguishable from their rejected predecessors. As a whole, the pieces depict a painstaking attempt to capture this face, to preserve it at the utmost level of accuracy.
(The goal was an impossible one. The artist’s frustration can be seen in the pressure of the pencil on the page, the thickness of the black lines. Nothing he did yielded a result that was close enough. Nothing he drew could truly capture the essence of the original.)
Each detail, from the lines near his eyes to the blemishes on his cheeks, has been given the same level of attention. The piece is crude and lacking in technique—but it’s genuine, too. This is an artist who hasn’t yet found his tools.]
***
[Excerpt from The Howling Commandos: A Soldier’s Life (2001) by Carlo D'Este, Chapter 2: James “Bucky” Barnes – The Fallen Hero, page 41]
…Despite (or perhaps, as a result of) his rocky relationship with his family, Barnes was said to be very close to his friends and nearly inseparable from his best friend and future combat leader, Steve Rogers. Teachers and other adult figures commented on how rarely the two boys were seen apart, to the point that their friendship could become a distraction during class. “Bucky was always very protective of Steve, but not in a Mother Hen sort of way,” commented their grade school teacher, Mary Sykes, in an interview conducted in 1955. “And Steve, well, anyone could see—Bucky was Steve’s whole world.” …
***
FROM: [email protected]
SUBJECT: Term Paper Topic Proposal
Elizabeth,
I’m emailing you to let you know I received your topic proposal submission. It looks great so far! I’m not familiar with Roger’s work, but I’m sure there’s lots to see!
One suggestion I would make is to look into as many reviews of his work by art critics as you can. Since Rogers isn’t well known for being an artist, it’s important that you justify in your paper why his work is worth studying. That should help give your paper more weight!
Let me know if you have any questions. I can’t wait to see the final product!
~Prof. Martin
***
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Captain Steve Rogers: A History through Art [Exhibit]
3. “Portrait: Bucky Barnes” – 1933
Artist: Steven Rogers
Date: 1933
Medium: Pencil on Paper
Dimensions (H x W): 6 1/8 in x 4 7/8 in
Description: This is the fifth piece recovered from the collection of Rebecca Barnes. Like the first portrait in the collection (See “Portrait: Bucky Barnes” – 1930), it depicts Captain Roger’s childhood friend, James “Bucky” Barnes. When this piece was drawn, Steve Rogers would have been about 15 years old, while Barnes would have been 16. It was donated to the museum by Rebecca Barnes in 1987.
—
[The page is crumpled, and the edges are creased. This is a drawing that was carried religiously in purses, in wallets, in breast pockets, in suitcases and totes and handbags. The paper is yellowed, the bright white color softened after years of touch by tender hands and tender eyes.
(This one was Rebecca’s favorite. She had photographs, from before he left, but this was how she wanted to remember her brother: young, sixteen, smiling. Steve gave it to her, after he saw how much she liked it. Steve was a sweet boy. She started carrying the drawing with her everywhere, especially after….)
The lines are thinner, softer, drawn by a more experienced hand. The artist knows his subject well. He doesn’t need to draw his portrait detail by detail anymore. Instead, he draws a whole.]
***
BETH: dude, steve rogers could fuckin DRAW man
JEN: ?????
JEN: isn’t that why you chose him??
BETH: yeah but i mean i didn’t realize he was actually good
BETH: like he probably could have gone professional
BETH: i just looked at a portrait he drew… WHEN HE WAS FUCKING 15
BETH: LOOK AT THIS SHIT
BETH: [Multimedia Message]
JEN: wow
JEN: that’s barnes right?
BETH: yeah
JEN: barnes was a cute motherfucker
***
[Excerpt from the article “Steven Rogers: The Early Works”, published in the journal Art History, April 1988. Volume 11, Issue 2. Print.]
“…As the earliest authentic piece by Rogers in the museum’s possession, it is unsurprising that “Portrait: Bucky Barnes” would lack some of the same technique and finesse that is present in Rogers’s later works. What truly makes this piece unique is the character he manages to capture in the portrait. Barnes’s grin, the tilt of his head, his stance—they all portray a personality more than a likeness. Even at the tender age of 15, it is clear that Rogers possessed a rare level of awareness for the world around him.
Barnes’s gaze, which is cast directly at the viewer, as well as the relaxed position of Barnes’s crossed arms over his chest, give a sense of distance between the subject and spectator. We feel as though we, too, are nothing more than a watchful observer…”
***
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Captain Steve Rogers: A History through Art [Exhibit]
4. “Portrait: Bucky Barnes at Shipyard” – 1934
Artist: Steven Rogers
Date: 1934
Medium: Pencil on Paper
Dimensions (H x W): 7 1/8 in x 6 in
Description: This piece depicts Rogers’ friend, James Barnes, as a dock worker at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. It was one of the first of Rogers’ works to be obtained by the museum. Shortly after Rogers’ demise in 1945, his former landlady, unable to find any remaining kin, donated his possessions to the American Historical Society, who later distributed the items to museums across the country. Although a few of his possessions have been reclaimed by some of Rogers’ close friends, the majority remain in the hands of the public.
—
[The lines are thin and precise. Careful. Every stroke perfectly sculpts the broad shoulders, the toned arms, the bare chest. Not a single detail is missed. If you knew what to look for, you would even see the pale, white line on his forearm—a scar from when they were 12, and a reminder that fire escapes were not ideal for wrestling matches.
The artist has gone to a lot of trouble to shade the textures just right. The work pants are crosshatched with pale, tiny lines, so close together it feels like you can see every thread in the rough-spun fabric. The pant legs are rolled up at the bottoms, and a wide belt holds the pants up just above the waist. They don’t fit. Clearly they were meant for someone bigger.
From the waist up, he’s nothing but skin. The pencil has been carefully smudged with a small, sweaty finger to define the arms, the lean muscle there. A few white lines from the brush of an eraser have made his shoulders and forehead shine with sweat, and there’s a small drop sliding down his temple. The lines that make up his hair are shorter and less controlled. It is a fruitless attempt to capture someone in constant motion. Even the mouth is slightly open, lips parted, like he didn’t have the energy to keep it closed. The eyes, though—the eyes are different, alive. In the dull, industrial background of the piece, this man holds attention.
(It was a hot day at the shipyard—bright, sunny, not a cloud ‘til Jersey. He felt like he was half underwater, trying to breathe the muggy air with rattling, asthmatic lungs. Bucky was almost off work, and Steve was headed that way anyway, so he decided to wait by the pier. Watching was never the plan.
By the time he finished the drawing, Steve was drowning. He couldn’t breathe at all.)]
***
BETH: hey, Jen
JEN: wut
BETH: was captain america gay?
***
[Excerpt from “Famous Artists: Steven Rogers” by Susan Benford, posted on her personal blog October 9, 2011.]
...Bucky Barnes at Shipyard nods to the academic tradition of painting the male nude, depicting a lean, shirtless, unidealized man engaged in the mundane activity of working with equipement on the docks. The worker (actually modelled after Rogers’ friend, Bucky Barnes) grabs our attention with his muscled arms and chest, while the unusual perspective projects the man into the viewer's space. Rogers draws this man with a realist’s eye, and it is this realism that makes Barnes attractive to us.
Despite the classification of this piece as a simple study of the male form, Shipyard was moved to permanent archives in 1954 due to controversial complaints of indecency. It remained there for several decades until it was finally returned to displays in 1994.
***
JEN: why do you think he’s not straight?
BETH: i don’t know it’s just
BETH: check this out
BETH: [Multimedia Message]
BETH: i mean why would you draw your best friend looking like that
JEN: because your best friend was hot
BETH: sure, yeah, maybe, but you gotta admit i have a point
BETH: male artists draw women all the time and it’s considered an act of love
JEN: draw me like one of your french girls
BETH: EXACTLY
BETH: so how come as soon as he draws a dude it’s just ‘a study in male form’?
JEN: there actually is an answer to that question
JEN: it’s called heteronormativity
BETH: UGH
***
[Image Transcription]
tumblr post by bi-bi-blacksheep:
List of bisexuals whose identities are erased by the media:
- P!nk
- Kesha
- Megan Fox
- Billie Joe Armstrong
- Angelina Jolie
- Lady Gaga
- Bai Ling
- Carrie Brownstein
- Kurt Cobain
- Drew Barrymore
Reblog from pangelina-jolie:
Don’t forget historical bisexuals…
- Oscar Wilde
- Marlon Brando
- Salvador Dali
- Frida Kahlo
- Steve Rogers
Reblog from three-muskequeers:
this post makes me so happy
Reblog from thegaylyshow:
alright, i know tumblr likes making everything queer, but assigning sexual orientations to historical figures is tricky business. i’ll give you frida and wilde, and i’ll admit that there is some compelling evidence for dali and brando, but steve rogers? american patriot, defender of liberty and justice, the star-spangled man? that’s a bit of a stretch even for this site…
Reblog from steve-rogers:
actually, steve rogers being bisexual is not much of a stretch at all. lots of historians (see Allan Berube, George Chauncey, and Nan Alamilla Boyd) suggest that he may not have been nearly as straight as he has historically been portrayed to be. the only reason more people don’t know about it is because of a lot of homophobic shit that went down in the 50sconservatives were using captain america comics as anti-communist propaganda. but then in 1954, this psychologist called Frederic Wertham wrote a book called the Seduction of the Innocent which basically said that comics were turning America’s youth into anti-establishment socialist delinquents because some of the heroes like batman and captain america were (according to Wertham) being depicted as gay. cue conservatives flipping their shit.
this made things really difficult for steve rogers historians, because not only did conservatives squash anything in the comics that might have pointed to a queer captain america, but they also did the same thing fro historical records of steve rogers the person. for a while it became almost impossible to find many records of steve rogers before the war. conservatives warped the american public’s perspective of ‘the star-spangled man’ to fit their own agenda. to this day, captain america is still commonly perceived as a hero of the republican party, even though rogers’ politics would likely have been exceedingly liberal.
recently a lot of the evidence that got buried in the 50s is coming to light, and more and more historians are suggesting that rogers’ relationship with his friend, bucky barnes, might not have been platonic. he was living alone with barnes when the war started, at an age when most of his peers were already married. most historical sources say that steve rogers had never had a girlfriend before peggy. assigning orientations to historical figures is, as you say, tricky, but if you look at the evidence, a bisexual steve rogers isn’t as crazy as you might think.
Reblog from flower-crown-drwho:
a round of applause to the historical side of tumblr for defending the bis
***
[Excerpt from Seduction of the Innocent by Frederic Wertham. New York: Rinehart, 1954. Print.[1]]
“Only someone ignorant of the fundamentals of psychiatry and of the psychopathology of sex can fail to realize a subtle atmosphere of homoeroticism which pervades the adventures of the mature ‘Batman' and his young friend Robin. … Just as ordinary crime comic books contribute to the fixation of violent and hostile patterns by suggesting definite forms for their expression, so the Batman type of story helps to fixate homoerotic tendencies by suggesting the form of adolescent-with-adult or Ganymede-Zeus type of love-relationship.
“Batman and Robin constantly rescue each other from violent attacks by an unending number of enemies. At home, they lead an idyllic life. … Batman is sometimes shown in a dressing gown. As they sit by the fireplace the young boy sometimes worries about his partner: ‘Something’s wrong with Bruce. He hasn’t been himself these past few days.’ It is like a wish dream of two homosexuals living together. …
“Many other examples of the perverse Batman-Robin relationship exist in comics. The early ‘Captain America’ comics depicted the Captain himself in one such relationship with an adolescent version of his comrade in arms, James “Bucky” Barnes. … The Bucky shown in the comics is a handsome, ephebic boy, usually drawn with a charming grin. He is buoyant with energy and devoted to nothing on earth or in interplanetary space as much as to Steve Rogers. He often stands with his legs spread, the genital region discreetly evident. …
“The fact that both Captain Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes have real, human counterparts makes this particular example even more concerning. The Batman-Captain America type of story may stimulate children to homosexual fantasies, the nature of which they may be unaware. … The depiction of such relationships in comics is clearly damaging, and children must be protected from such depictions at all costs.”