History Lesson 2002

Bo Bartlett made this painting called History Lesson with oil, and it strikes me with its commitment to realism while still feeling a bit dreamlike. The way Bartlett handles the paint feels almost glassy, smoothed out, which gives the whole scene an eerie stillness. It’s like he’s trying to freeze a moment, but the slight distortions in perspective and the symbolic objects scattered around hint at something deeper than just a classroom scene. Take the American flag, for example: it's rendered in such detail, yet it feels almost oppressive, looming over the young girl in the center. And the chalkboard, with its list of wars and casualties, seems to weigh down the entire composition. It puts me in mind of Edward Hopper, in that there’s a similar sense of quiet unease and alienation. But unlike Hopper's stark urban landscapes, Bartlett grounds his work in a very specific American context, inviting us to reflect on our history and its impact on the present. History is never really settled, it’s always a work in progress.