Rosie the Riveter

[Lady Day]

Besides the Amazon angle, the specific pose in Rockwell's Rosie was an homage to another famous image -- Michaelangelo's painting of the biblical prophet Isaiah, another fearless warrior-for-justice figure:

A bit of side info, Michaelangelo never used women as models, he just stuck boobs on the male form, there by giving an odd and contemporarily controversial look to his female figures. Makes you wonder if Rockwell applied the same dynamic, but also, shes doing a typically male job. His Rosie is my absolute favorite, but his work is always FILLED with that type of stuff.

If you can, I strongly suggest taking an art history course in Rockwell (or American Illustration). Because so much of it was used as marketing, there are so many subconscious aspects to the work that most dont garner.

LD

 

[LizzieMaine]

A bit of side info, Michaelangelo never used women as models, he just stuck boobs on the male form, there by giving an odd and contemporarily controversial look to his female figures. Makes you wonder if Rockwell applied the same dynamic, but also, shes doing a typically male job. His Rosie is my absolute favorite, but his work is always FILLED with that type of stuff.

If you can, I strongly suggest taking an art history course in Rockwell (or American Illustration). Because so much of it was used as marketing, there are so many subconscious aspects to the work that most dont garner.

LD

Absolutely. In this particular image, the Biblical references are very significant too -- Isaiah spent a lot of time describing the power of "God's Strong Right Arm," and emphasised that evil would be "trodden upon" by the forces of righteousness. Note that Rosie's right arm is the strong and mighty one, and that she is quite literally treading on Evil. There's always a lot more to Rockwell's work than first meets the eye -- I find him a fascinating artist.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

That is really interesting. There is book here at the house about Rockwell - I will have to peek into it! Without all of the incredible knowledge of others here on this Forum, I would never learn some of the things I do! I am totally fascinated by the two images and Rockwell's genius in his piece! Simply, wow.

 

[Christy]

In my opinion, I think that the Rosie the Riveter image holds meaning for women, I know it does for me.

LizzieMaine and Lady Day, thank you for sharing your information on the artwork, it is very interesting!

 

[Foofoogal]

I just think it makes sense that feminism and Rosie go together.

they don't.

Rosie the Riveter
Quote:
"We weren't women's libbers," says Carter, founder and executive director of the 3,000-member American Rosie the Riveter Association. "We just wanted to get the boys back home so we could marry them.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histo...sie-the-Riveter-Farmerettes-Went-to-Work.html

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I think it's interesting that so many women identify with her today. But then again I am not a feminist, so I feel less attached to this whole image. It's a pretty, working lady in a drawing to me and nothing more. It's art. I just happen to see that her arms look huge-ish and make an observation and it made so many women run to this woman's defense. huh. go figure.

I think you mistake -discussion- for defense, and -debate- for argument.

This is a board where we discuss things, disagree politely and share opinions and add more information to the topic at hand.

Would be the singular most boring place on earth if we all just said 'Yep I feel that exact same way too'.....to everything posted.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.rosietheriveter.org/links.htm
http://www.museumonmainstreet.org/exhibs_produce/produce.htm

 

[Foofoogal]

I definitely see this as a place where we can discuss but also know there are always 2 sides to every story.

women are pushing modern agenda onto the image

Funny about history and how it changes with the telling of the story and who is telling it and who is believing it.
Rosie deserves respect and this thread was about her and she spoke in the quote I put and the links I have placed.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I agree that at the time it was not at all about anything more than getting the job done. Not about feminism at all. But, I do think it is a rather singular event in history...off the top of my head I cannot think of a prior occurrence of women so pointedly being mustered for our workforce. What I guess so many people take from the event is that it very decidedly affected the later ideals and movements. Therefore, I do think it does tie into that movement for many.

I mean if it had not made such an impression on women there certainly would not have been a ghost of a chance for such a group to be formed as the one for which this thread was initially started.

fftopic: Perhaps, I should apologize. My initial statement, regarding the arm comment, was more personally charged than it should have been, perhaps. Though, I guess, since you have pushed this issue to this page of the thread I will simply state that your observation was taken as an offense. As I do feel that my arms are quite similar to, if not larger than, the "lady" in question and I found your statement personally offensive. Especially, since I enjoy the image very much and identify with it. It was taken personally. I do wish we could get back to the topic at hand, now.

 

[LizzieMaine]

A Real Life Rosie

Tennessee, 1943. From the Library of Congress "Bound For Glory" exhibit.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

On the original posting...I would be interested to know if anyone here is a member or knows a member. For that matter, do people have family members who did some of this work during WWII? Sadly, I have no personal connection to a lady of the era, having done any such work. But I think it is a fascinating historical topic and am glad to see people are out there letting the younger generations know what it was like. Plus, the lady who started it is ridiculously cute!

 

[Christy]

Even though the women weren't going to work because of women's liberation, to me it was a significant time. To me, it signifies that for the time, women were seen as being able to help in the war effort in significant ways. Their contribution was recognized, and in hind sight is very recognized and celebrated today. So, I think the art piece is important to some people because it is an example of this time and what women did to contribute.

 

[Christy]

On the original posting...I would be interested to know if anyone here is a member or knows a member. For that matter, do people have family members who did some of this work during WWII? Sadly, I have no personal connection to a lady of the era, having done any such work. But I think it is a fascinating historical topic and am glad to see people are out there letting the younger generations know what it was like. Plus, the lady who started it is ridiculously cute!

I was thinking about joining as a rosebud. My Grammy was a sergeant in the WAC.

 

[Helysoune]

At the one nursing home I used to work at, one of the ladies there was name Lena and she was a real sweetie. I used to chitchat with her when I could and one day, she asked me to get her photo albums out of her dresser, which I did, and she proudly showed off her pictures, including some of her from WWII. Turns out, she was a welder during the war and had the pics to prove it. She looked darling in her coveralls with her hair done up and I really wish I was able to share with you all.

 

[Lady Day]

I agree that at the time it was not at all about anything more than getting the job done. Not about feminism at all.

Yes and no. Rosie was a marketed image, and that in and of itself conveys great social statements. Now, us looking back on those with a modern eye cant be avoided.

I think of feminism as I do the color blue. There are so many facets that compared to another color can be something entirely different than envisioned.

The image of Rosie *was* bucking mainstream ideals of what a woman was suppose to and could do, but the time came for her to leap to the forefront from the fringes it was accepted as patriotic. Case closed. It was promoted, advertised, you were doing your duty by going against the typically accepted measure of your sex. There in lies the difference, I think.

LD

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histo...sie-the-Riveter-Farmerettes-Went-to-Work.html

this link I posted earlier was about the farmerettes. anyone ever heard of them? women do step up to the plate since beginning of time I believe or none of us would be here. lol
<----not a feminist bone in my body. Strong woman, definitely yes.

 

[Viola]

I also think that they were drawn in a time when they did not realise that hard labor or weights would not make a woman bulk up.....so logically they sort of extended the 'she is lifting things' to 'that will give her big muscled arms'....

Do you think that anyone really thought that? It was the Depression. Women who worked on farms or did stoop labor or scrubbed on their knees all day were the women we can't fit into their dresses when we find them because they were TINY.

Surely even the upper-classes were aware that their laundresses and maids did not look like men. I reckon most of them were strong as could be compared to lots of women today - and bantamweights.

I think the artists just wanted to embrace an image of strength without an image of hunger/deprivation - not that they really thought hard labor made women look like trucks.

 

[HadleyH]

Another real life Rosie. - Drilling on a Liberator Bomber WW2-.

 

[Lenore]

I think this is one of my favorites...probably because of the purple socks.

 

[Inky]

One of my favorite real-life Rosie's:

thank goodness for these women, one and all!