Three from Frans Hals

By James Fallows
I'm going to start moving through these more briskly now. A pattern is emerging in the elements that make the Obama group portrait seem Old Masterish.  Previously here. For now, three from Frans Hals. First, Regents of the Old Men's Almshouse -- as with The Anatomy Lesson, thematically strangely appropriate for the Chrysler-bankruptcy team.
HalsRegents.jpg


Portrait.jpg


If all but six people were removed from the Obama portrait, leaving only (from left)  Geithner, Summers, Obama, Browner, Rattner, and Bernstein, they would match the positions and angles of the six Regents surprisingly well.* Though Carol Browner probably wouldn't be wild about the one matched with her.

Next, Officers and Sergeants of the St. Hadrian Civic Guard
FransHals1.jpg

And, the famous Meagre Company, apparently so named because the figures are all thin. On this basis, the Obama group portrait should be called Somber Company.
FransHalsMeagre.jpg


More coming.
__
* Geithner, Summers, and Obama you know. The woman is Carol Browner; Steve Rattner is behind her with round glasses; Jared Bernstein is just in front of him with gray hair. 

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2009/05/three-from-frans-hals/17016/