Al Capp's Pop Art

The Chrysler Museum of Art’s newest exhibition, the Pop Art of Al Capp, opened this week. Nine of Capp’s silkscreen prints will be on view in the McKinnon Galleries of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Capp, most famously known as the artist behind the long running “Li’l Abner” comics, was influenced by other pop artists of the time, including Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. The prints reflect important social movements of the 1960s and 1970s, including feminism and integration.

Capp swapped political parties in his later years, shifting from liberal to conservative. This alienated much of his audience – he received hate mail for years. In this video, Capp pokes fun at his new reputation, announcing himself as a “Neanderthal facist” when he meets John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

The video displays a side of John Lennon rarely seen by the public. As Capp questions his intentions of a peaceful protest-in-bed, Lennon grows flustered and angry. Two sides of the political spectrum, Capp and Lennon represent the growing frustration between the generations.

Eventually, Capp would mock the hippies of the 60’s, including a group of characters known as SWINE: Students Wildly Indignant about Nearly Everything.

Whether you agree with Capp's politics or not, his work reflects a time in American history when nothing was black and white and everyone had an opinion.

If you are interested in learning more about Al Capp, L'il Abner, or Pop Art, stop by the Library!

 - C.D.

Hooray For Monkeys! Curious George Comes to the Chrysler

      On Thursday, I was excited to get a tour of the newly opened exhibition Curious George Saves The Day: The Art of Margret and H. A. Rey.  The exhibit, which opened on the second floor of the Museum on April 27 follows the career of Curious George creators Margret and H. A. Rey and reveals their determination and courage during a daring escape from Nazi controlled Europe.  The exhibition combines the Rey's  original artwork with archival documentation of their escape from Europe.  Young visitors are sure to enjoy a number of impressive structures that recreate scenes from the Rey's work, and perhaps best of all, a fun reading room  featuring copies of some of Curious George's best adventures.

      Regular blog readers might already know that here in the Library we've got a soft spot for monkeys, so I happen to know that Curious George and his fellow Rey creations will find number of primate friends in the galleries.  This week,  for a little Friday fun - or if you will, monkey business - I thought I'd offer a challenge to our fearless readers.  Can you tell me which work in the galleries is home to this little fellow?

If you think you know where this fellow can be found  and  one other monkey who finds a home in the Chrysler collection, post a comment with the title of both works below. First correct post wins!  Next week I'll announce the  answers.  In the meantime, I hope you'll stop in and see Curious George Saves The Day - and remember, we also always have great illustrated books for readers of all ages in the Library!  Well-behaved curious monkeys always welcome.

 - LC

Hats Off to Royal Wedding Attire

It seems you can’t pick up a newspaper, turn on the TV or the radio, or click onto a website without hearing about the Royal Wedding. Viewers across the world tuned into the extravagant affair, hoping to catch a glimpse of history being made – and of course, wondering what Kate Middleton would wear.

The wedding will certainly influence fashion trends over the next few months. There is no doubt brides everywhere will want copy cat versions of Kate Middleton’s beautiful Alexander McQueen Studio gown. But most impressive? The outfits of the wedding guests – particularly, their hats.

Popular for formal events in the U.K., these hats aren’t just fashion statements, they’re true works of art. Milliners spend hours constructing these unique, eye-popping pieces. Hats have an insanely long history, and have really come a long way. In the world of avant-garde fashion, royal wedding guests certainly lived up to the challenge.

With so many fabulous hats, we were inspired to look up the evolution of the hat. Through the ages and throughout the world, "The Mode in Hats and Headdress" showcases headwear from nearly every walk of life. We've selected a few new hats for the Royal Wedding participants to try for their next big event. Check 'em out...

Kate Middleton selected a graceful gown and paired it with an elegant tiara and veil that fashion experts all love. But what if she’d chosen something more regal? Perhaps something a bit more Elizabethan?

Prince William donned his official military hat for much of the ceremony, but should have considered one of these dapper military styles – even if they are a bit outdated. Feathers look good on everyone, though, especially if they hide a growing bald spot!

Victoria Beckham is known worldwide for her sense of style, and though her O-shaped chapeau was certainly chic, it's not hard to picture her in some of these styles. She might catch some flack from PETA with the third hat, though!

Lady Gaga wasn’t invited to the royal wedding, but had she been there, there’s no doubt she would have outdone everyone. It’s not hard to imagine her in one of these get-ups, be it lamp-shade shaped, dart board themed, or masked – Gaga could work them all.

As Kat'es maid of honor, Pippa Middleton looked the part of lady-in-waiting in her slimming white bridesmaid dress. But she needed a hat!

Elton John is known for his dapper style, and while his purple tie was certainly fabulous, he needed a hat to really set off his outfit.

All of these pictures come from the book "The Mode in Hats and Headdress" by R. Turner Wilcox, which is available - along with many other books about hat history -  for your perusal at the Chrysler Museum of Art Library.

 - CD

Ten Things You Never Knew About the Jean Outland Chrysler Library

     You always learn new things when starting a new job, but my first three weeks here at the Chrysler Art Museum Library have been even more enlightening than usual. Whether I’m discovering the wonders of copy cataloging or sampling the multitude of treats brought in for staff meetings, there’s never a dull moment. Here are the top ten things I've learned as a new employee.

10) Art auctions are happening all the time. One of my duties as special project librarian is to collect the weekly auction catalogs and periodicals as they come in the mail. As an art world newbie, I had no idea Christie’s, Sotheby’s and other auction houses hosted sales practically every day. Who knew there was such a market for expensive collectors’ items – like this cobra lamp?



This cobra lamp recently sold at a decorative arts auction for over $20,000. 


9) Hardly anyone knows our library exists. I can’t fault them – I myself had visited the Chrysler many times without noticing the library. But the funny part about no one knowing we exist leads me to my next point…

8) We give lots of tours. Once people do discover the library’s existence, they want to know anything and everything about our collections. And who wouldn’t? Still, it never fails to crack me up, hearing Laura give the same tour over and over to everyone from new gallery hosts to homeschooled children. Not surprisingly, all groups are easily impressed by anything really old in the collection.

7) The library has old stuff. Really old stuff. In fact, the oldest item in our collection is an illuminated manuscript from Persia allegedly dating back to the 1480’s. It could come in handy for a research paper or project – but only if you can read the early dialect of Arabic it’s written in.

6) The Chrysler staff eats. A lot. Or maybe I’ve just started at a good time? Since my first day 3 weeks ago, I’ve had the following at various staff gatherings: bagels, fruit, cheese danishes, ice cream, cupcakes, cheese and crackers, cookies, carrots and ranch from a veggie platter, and, in light of Easter this weekend, chocolate from the Easter Bunny himself. Not coincidentally, my waistline is expanding almost as rapidly as my mind.

5) Robert E. Lee should’ve worked on his penmanship. Or at least hired a secretary with nicer handwriting. The new exhibition in the reading room display case features Civil War documents from the famous general, and I’ve been struggling to make out what Lee and his compatriots were writing all those years ago. Seriously, didn’t ol’ Robert know that 150 years from now, I’d be trying to transcribe his letter to a fellow general? It’s true, handwriting styles change over time, but that doesn’t make my job any easier!



Letter written by Robert E. Lee (or at the very least, his secretary). Can you make out what he writes?



4) The art world is fascinated with the human body. I knew the ancient Greeks and Romans were obsessed with nude statues, but modern artists are giving them a run for their money. I’m never far from a book or magazine with a half-naked figure on the cover. It’s tasteful, sure, but kind of repetitive, if you ask me.

3) Sleeves are a must at the Jean Outland library. The temperature hovers at around 65 degrees in here, year round. As the weather outside warms up, I’m considering bringing an indoor outfit and an outdoor outfit with me to work. The walk to the parking lot in a jacket and long pants works up a sweat, but shivering in a sun dress isn’t an option, either!

2) Coming up with witty blog posts is tough, but somebody has to do it. Writing things that are both informative and entertaining is harder than it looks.

1) If it’s a Friday afternoon, and there’s traffic on Olney, it’s probably time to hit the road. With that in mind...

Have a great Earth Day and a happy Easter!

Chelsea DeAngio
Special Project Librarian

Update - What's New at the Library



Garden Bulbs In Color SB425 .M25 1938

 Spring has sprung at the Chrysler! Lovely tulips have blossomed in both the Memorial Garden and Mary’s Garden. The galleries are also blooming with color – whether it’s the amazing watercolors of James Tissot: The Life of Christ or the brilliant flowers of Tiffany Lamps:Articles of Utility, Objects of Art. In the Library, too, all sorts of new things are springing up. It’s been awhile since we’ve had a Library update, so here are a few of the many things that are new:

New look –
You may have noticed - the blog looks a little different. After a brief hiatus we’re back with an updated look and some new features. You may enjoy checking out a changing selection of recently researched items, or linking our posts to your Facebook or Twitter page. You can also sign up to receive an email whenever the blog is updated.    We hope you like the changes – please tell us what you think.


New faces –
On April 6 we welcomed Special Project Librarian Chelsea DeAngio to the Library Staff. Chelsea is already hard at work making new materials available to Library patrons and helping with reference requests. She’s great! If you haven’t already, stop by and say hello.

The Museum also welcomed a new curator, Amy Brandt, in March. Amy is the new McKinnon Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, and has been hard a work researching the collection. She’s already helped us build the Library’s collection of books about contemporary art with some much needed additions. You can read more about Amy here. We’re glad to be working with her.

New information -
Everywhere you look in the galleries, there something new and different to look at - new exhibitions, new collections, and new works of art. We’ve been keeping pace in the Library. You’ll find information about all of the current exhibitions on hand in the reading room, along with a number of newly acquired books.

Old and interesting –
If you’ve already visited the James Tissot: The Life of Christ exhibition you may be interested in taking a look at our 1903 New York edition of the completed illustrated Bible for which the watercolors were produced. The three volume set is on view in the reading room.

We’re also featuring new items from the Library’s “hidden” collections in the reading room display case. Along with The Civil War: Visual Perspectives, Then and Now exhibition on view in the Waitzer Community Gallery – a challenging look at the meaning and impact of the War on American history and culture from a variety of perspectives - you can see some intriguing archival materials relating to the Civil War in Hampton Roads from the Library’s collection and start a conversation with voices from the past.

I hope to see you in the Library again soon!

 - L.C.

Special Project Librarian Introduction

I’m Chelsea DeAngio, the new Special Project Librarian at the Jean Outland Art Library. Currently a senior at Old Dominion University, I hope to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to pursue my Master’s in Library Science in the fall. Though I’m an English major, I’m no stranger to the art world – I previously worked as an assistant in ODU’s Hofheimer Art Library.

For the next few months, I’ll be working on several daily tasks, including the processing of Inter-Library Loan requests, collection and organization of new periodicals and auction catalogs, and of course, updating the blog.

I’ve been on the job for two weeks now, and have been learning a lot. I look forward to learning even more in the coming months!

Item of the Week: "Loose Change" by Suzanne Opton

Opton's photographs portray aging women in a positive light.

New to the Chrysler this week is photographer Suzanne Opton’s book “Loose Change.” It showcases photos from her 2001 exhibition by the same name. All the pieces feature middle aged women posing nude with household items.


Opton, perhaps best known for her “Soldier” portraits, ensures her subject’s anonymity by focusing solely on the body. She stresses her feminist perspective by pairing the women with sponges and toasters, commenting on society’s expectations of women. Many of the women also pose with vases, traditional symbols of femininity.

Few artists have dealt with the aging body with such a positive perspective. Rodin famously portrayed an aging courtesan that had once been beautiful in his sculpture “The Kiss.” In response, Erwin Blumenfeld photographed the model for “The Kiss” as an old woman defeated by her body. Only in recent years have artists like Anne Noggle and Joyce Tennyson portrayed the aging body in a positive light.

The book includes interviews with the models, which provide fascinating insight into the way women see themselves.

“What struck me was the universality of the photos, of the bodies,” says one of the anonymous models. “It felt like we all look like that: we bulge a little here, we sag a little there, and there’s beauty, too. That was nice, seeing that realized as art.”

“Loose change is what’s left over at the end of the day,” author Vicki Goldberg writes in the afterword. “It makes a pretty jingle but hasn’t much power and doesn’t go far.” The women featured, she points out, are so much more.

Ultimately, the project celebrates the beauty of all women, regardless of their age or shape.

Want to learn more about Suzanne Opton’s work? Two of her “Soldier” portraits are included in our collection at the Chrysler, or visit her website for more information.