Sunday, January 23, 2011

Yay or Nay? Guy Johnson

Last week, William Wollaston came very close to breaking our latest run of yays but despite the simplicity of colors in his dress he prevailed with a Yay.  Black and white seemed to bore many so this week I have a selection with slightly more pizazz as far as menswear goes.


Benjamin West paints Guy Johnson (1775) half in his red-coat and half in his Mohawk gear.  Yay or Nay?

[National Gallery, Washington]

,

17 comments:

  1. HeidenkindJanuary 23, 2011 at 12:14 AM

    I think yay. Mainly because we've talked about this painting in one of my classes. Plus you just know he put a lot of thought into that outfit.

    ReplyDelete
  2. LauraJanuary 23, 2011 at 1:43 AM

    I like him! He looks confident and comfortable, too. Love the Indian man behind him, too. Yay!

    ReplyDelete
  3. HesterJanuary 23, 2011 at 5:19 AM

    Nay.

    ReplyDelete
  4. GemmaJanuary 23, 2011 at 8:18 AM

    Yay! Very original. Step aside, hipsters, this is how Indian fashion should inspire your outfits!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Margravine LouisaJanuary 23, 2011 at 10:21 AM

    sigh -yay
    even though i know now that the exploration of the "new world" led to the total destruction and subjugation of the native popualtion, i am a wasp at heart - he looks rather dashing, unfortunately.
    it was a very popular trend to bring the natives back to England...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Retro BlogJanuary 23, 2011 at 12:52 PM

    Hmm, would love to have seen the Englishman in full native American regalia, shaved chest etc. And belt makes me ask, has the Duchess considered cod pieces as a topic of discussion? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Olympe de la Tour D'AuvergneJanuary 23, 2011 at 1:58 PM

    I get what he thinks he's wearing, but really, what IS he wearing? Nay, dear God, nay!

    ReplyDelete
  8. nightsmusicJanuary 23, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    I'm sorry, but the first thing I saw was schizophrenia...so nay.

    ReplyDelete
  9. DorothyJanuary 23, 2011 at 3:57 PM

    Because this many was responsible for massacres of many Americans during the Revolutionary War -- notably the Wyoming Valley and Cherry Valley massacres -- I am unable to judge his clothing from an unbiased standpoint. People on his own side judged his behavior as "reprehensible."

    ReplyDelete
  10. KeithJanuary 23, 2011 at 5:19 PM

    A definate YAY. But the position of the Indian's legs seem strange somehow?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Snickers MomJanuary 23, 2011 at 5:31 PM

    Being that the high today is 10F, I'm going with yay because his pelt and blanket look warm.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lady WebsterJanuary 23, 2011 at 6:21 PM

    Quite simply...nay.

    ReplyDelete
  13. RebeccaJanuary 23, 2011 at 6:33 PM

    I have to go with what i've been saying the past few Yay or Nay's and say...nay. It-It's so ugly. The colours together are HORRIBLE! in my opinion, red and brown have NEVER gone together, and he's wearing WAY too much that it looks silly.

    ReplyDelete
  14. CarrotsJanuary 24, 2011 at 7:17 PM

    I'm going to have to say Nay, though he looks like a likeable enough man. The combination of colours is odd, and what IS that sprouting from his right leg? An arrow?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Amirak101January 24, 2011 at 11:36 PM

    nay because he's probably a douchebag and slave owner, be they african or native american. and nay because i'm not sure why he has tied two blankets around himself as part of his garment.

    ReplyDelete
  16. EllaJanuary 26, 2011 at 12:46 AM

    Nay, there is just so much I don't know where to begin.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Mary SimonsenJanuary 30, 2011 at 1:27 PM

    A definite "yay." I love the picture.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)