I cut that to show only the portrait, so go here to see it in its ornate frame and the wood-paneled setting. It was photographed at an angle (visible at the top left of my crop), so there's some distortion not attributable to the artist. But how rich do you need to be to hire an artist that can paint hands? Ah, but who's going to look at the hand — other than me — when the head is glowing and ascending to the heavens? Or are you looking at the stretched folds of fabric straining over the crotch?
The photo of the portrait goes with a NYT article titled "A King in His Castle: How Donald Trump Lives, From His Longtime Butler." About the painting, the butler, Anthony Senecal, said: "I’ve been in other homes in Palm Beach — same exact painting. Just a different head."
Also from the article, how Trump likes his steak: "It would rock on the plate, it was so well done." And information that explains a lot: "Mr. Trump insists — despite the hair salon on the premises — on doing his own hair."
And there's the 20,000-square-foot Donald J. Trump Ballroom, where, in 2005, Trump married Melania (whom Senecal "described as exceptionally compassionate"). Hillary Clinton attended the wedding and Senecal "offered a profane description for Mrs. Clinton." The ballroom was later the scene for the Oprah Winfrey party for Maya Angelou's 80th birthday. Senecal says it was a "religious ceremony with the hooting and the hollering" and "Mr. Trump was right on into it. It was so great. He was clapping."
IN THE COMMENTS: Ignorance is Bliss said, "That is certainly a more inspiring picture of him than this one":
MORE IN THE COMMENTS: Brando says:
That portrait supports my theory that he's a poor man's idea of what he would be like if he were rich. A big majestic portrait of himself! Maybe Trump has a secret sense of humor about this — it seems like a gag I'd do if I were rich.Exactly. It looked that way to me too. The question is whether he's having fun with it and making it fun for other people or whether he's really serious, psychologically needy, and oppressing other people. If it were the latter, the NYT would have told us.
I wonder about the "profane" description of Hillary — what did she do when she arrived? Was she nasty to the help? I've heard she could be very cold and mean to secret service agents.Well, that's another thing the NYT didn't tell us. Here, we know the NYT had information, and we can see that it was suppressed. What was it?
Posts
101 comments:
I like the cod-Baroque heavenly light streaming in the background.
"I’ve been in other homes in Palm Beach — same exact painting. Just a different head."
Looks like a Hollywood set portrait of the rich WASP douchebag character.
My friends were at a wedding there just this year, and Trump stopped in to see that everything was OK, and stayed to take pictures with anyone who asked. I called BS, and my friend pulled out her phone and showed me the picture of her and Trump. She said he could not have been nicer. She characterized herself as reluctantly very impressed.
That is certainly a more inspiring picture of him than this one.
That was Trump? I thought it was Dirk Benedict back in his A Team days.
I am guessing that in addition to Donald Trump, there are other fabulously wealthy celebrities who are very friendly with fans, supporters and consumers.
Oprah Winfrey (mentioned in this story); Alec Baldwin; Stephen Colbert; Sean Penn; Susan Sarandon; Jane Fonda; Barbra Streisand; Kanye West; Ellen DeGeneres.
And not one of them has any business being President of the United States.
The ballroom was later the scene for the Oprah Winfrey party for Maya Angelou's 80th birthday. Senecal says it was a "religious ceremony with the hooting and the hollering" and "Mr. Trump was right on into it. It was so great. He was clapping."
I'm sure the incident was marred by Trump not inviting Winfrey & Angelou to his cross-burning party on the beach later on that week.
Anglelyne wrote: Looks like a Hollywood set portrait of the rich WASP douchebag character.
Agree. WASP is pejorative term wIhaven't heard in politics for a while. It's exactly what Trump is and is one reason people loathe him. He's a WASP -- a stinging WASP with the mouth of an Ali.
camp- adj.
deliberately exaggerated and theatrical in style, typically for humorous effect.
banality, mediocrity, artifice, ostentation, etc. so extreme as to amuse or have a sophisticated appeal.
You think he goes over to Ruth Crist with his buddy Rush and waits for an hour for them to cook his 4 inch thick filet through and through? That man has no class. It just makes me like him more.
He's like a character out of Caddyshack.
Look at that HUUUUGEEE left hand!
And not one of them has any business being President of the United State
Even a banjo has five strings.
But how rich do you need to be to hire an artist that can paint hands?
Judging by the portraits I've seen of the Royal Family, I'm guessing there's not enough money to buy a good portraitist. They simply don't exist.
That's a terrible painting!
I had that same v-neck sweater when I was eight years old. They sold them at JC Penney.
I wonder about the "profane" description of Hillary--what did she do when she arrived? Was she nasty to the help? I've heard she could be very cold and mean to secret service agents.
I don't really understand cooking steak to "well done". I mean, if you don't trust the quality of the steak, that's a safe option, but I can't imagine someone like Trump eating low-rate cuts of steak. Cooking it that much takes all the flavor out.
That portrait supports my theory that he's a poor man's idea of what he would be like if he were rich. A big majestic portrait of himself! Maybe Trump has a secret sense of humor about this--it seems like a gag I'd do if I were rich. It would have been funnier though if he had the hands done to cartoonishly massive size.
Oprah Winfrey, Alec Baldwin, Stephen Colbert, Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand, Kanye West. Ellen DeGeneres: all of whom have Shit in the Caviar in one way or another.
I am keeping a list.
I am Laslo.
The left hand looks like a Prosthetic.
I would have went with a Hook.
Because that would be BadAss.
I am Laslo.
A portrait of himself, not a family portrait with wife and kids? And cheap at that with a completely unnatural pose! Didn't I see this in a Mel Brooks movie? (or any number of other comedies about rich posers)?
Trump sounds like a generous man who enjoys showing hospitality and loves people.
Who would have thought such as man could generate this weekend's 72 hours of continuous hate just by refusing to partake of bribes and exposing the corrupt system of living off insider payoffs taken by all of the rest of the politicians like heroin taken by addicts.
"WASP is pejorative term I haven't heard in politics for a while."
One time I got a student evaluation that called me "waspish." I sort of wanted to think I was experiencing a racial slur, but I had to admit that "waspish" is a regular adjective, meaning "Quick to resent any trifling injury or affront; irascible, petulantly spiteful."
Lord knows what I said to deserve that... although with decades of distance, I'm thinking a waspish teacher could be great fun, especially if the anger were directed at the courts and the facts of the case and not to the students.
That portrait supports my theory that he's a poor man's idea of what he would be like if he were rich.
Donald Trump is like what a hobo imagines a rich man to be
"Trump sounds like a generous man who enjoys showing hospitality and loves people."
Sometimes he likes to go out in the yard and find laborers to hand $100 bills. They love that.
WASP is a pejorative? It seems I've been insulted all these years.
Maybe he could hire the artist from this previous Althouse post.
I am Laslo.
Robert Cook: "That's a terrible painting!"
Everyone's a critic.
"I don't really understand cooking steak to "well done". I mean, if you don't trust the quality of the steak, that's a safe option, but I can't imagine someone like Trump eating low-rate cuts of steak. Cooking it that much takes all the flavor out."
Puts in some tasty charred flavor though. Some people like that. And tough is just another texture. Maybe the meat is so tender its still tender when well done. But some people enjoy chewing. He seems to have some sturdy chompers.
Brando: "I don't really understand cooking steak to "well done"."
I suggest you re-watch "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" again for greater insight.
Cooking it that much takes all the flavor out."
Boston Chefs on Customers Who Order Steak Well Done.
I like the guy who sees it as his challenge to still make it right.
I don't see how this painting "works" sans a First Lord of the Admiralty bicorn.
It looks like the cover of a romance novel about a teaching pro at tennis club.
'Clay Court Savage #24, Storm of Balls'
Here it is. Or was. Unfortunately it is sold out.
I am Laslo.
Ann Althouse said...
"I don't really understand cooking steak to "well done". I mean, if you don't trust the quality of the steak, that's a safe option, but I can't imagine someone like Trump eating low-rate cuts of steak. Cooking it that much takes all the flavor out."
Puts in some tasty charred flavor though. Some people like that. And tough is just another texture. Maybe the meat is so tender its still tender when well done. But some people enjoy chewing. He seems to have some sturdy chompers.
Tank has friends who say, "leave it on the BBQ until it's a hockey puck."
Don't know how they eat that.
Sometimes he likes to go out in the yard and find laborers to hand $100 bills. They love that
The New York Times did an interview with Rush at a restaurant and "ethics" required the paper to pick up the tab. The writer later found out that by not letting Rush pay, he stiffed the staff out of a five grand tip. "No wonder they were so quick to light his cigars!"
This is anectdotal, but some of the economically struggling folks I know who support Trump have told me they will vote for him because they believe he will give them some of his money.
"Puts in some tasty charred flavor though. Some people like that. And tough is just another texture. Maybe the meat is so tender its still tender when well done. But some people enjoy chewing. He seems to have some sturdy chompers."
Well, I do like fish blackened so I guess it's a matter of personal taste.
"I suggest you re-watch "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" again for greater insight."
It's been a while since I saw that film but don't remember that part.
"Tank has friends who say, "leave it on the BBQ until it's a hockey puck."
On the plus side, it's easier for the person working the grill. Generally, I prefer medium rare for most steak and rare if I'm at a fancy place that specializes in it. For hamburger, medium well.
Many religious folks that order steaks traditionally order them well done. The only dietary law (Kosher Rules) Christians were left under, since Peter and Paul finally pried the door open for non-Jews to enter the all Jewish Jesus Sect was a prohibition of eating meat of animals sacrificed to idol gods "with the blood in it. "
Is Trump Jewish? His daughter converted to the Jewish group that keeps Kosher, and he would not want to offend her if all it took was giving up bleeding meat.
That portrait supports my theory that he's a poor man's idea of what he would be like if he were rich. A big majestic portrait of himself! Maybe Trump has a secret sense of humor about this — it seems like a gag I'd do if I were rich. Exactly. It looked that way to me too. The question is whether he's having fun with it and making it fun for other people or whether he's really serious, psychologically needy, and oppressing other people. If it were the latter, the NYT would have told us.
This blog seems to have a fetish for performance art. Occam's razor says that Trump is vain and has gaudy taste. It's not disqualifying, but there's no point in trying to make it into something you find endearing either.
This is anectdotal, but some of the economically struggling folks I know who support Trump have told me they will vote for him because they believe he will give them some of his money.
You mean like "Obama's stash"? It never ceases to amaze me how stupid people are in people's stories about other people.
This Beautiful picture could be a preview for the new currency called the Drumpf 100 dollar note.
How many elections did Ben Franklin ever win? And why put Poor Richard's picture on money?
Well, that's another thing the NYT didn't tell us. Here, we know the NYT had information, and we can see that it was suppressed. What was it?
What, that Hillary is a bitch?
Even NYTs readers know that everyone who comes into contact with Hillary thinks she's a bitch. Matter of fact, the only person I've ever seen compliment Hillary "in public" was Bill O'Reilly who called her "gracious". You should have seen the look on the other Fox talking head when he said that, a look as in, "In a pig's eye!".
For many of her supporters, "bitch" is a feature, not a bug.
Having worked at a restaurant, well done is a nightmare. The customer never feels it's done enough. I've had to actually temp the steak in front of them then advise if you want it burnt, do thwt yourself.
Is anybody a WASP? Does anyone call himself that, or cop to it?
@Ann
At least you weren't called "niggardly".
re: portrait, at least his mouth is shut.
Blogger Robert Cook said...
That's a terrible painting!
3/15/16, 8:15 AM
--------------------------
I'll have you know ,sir, that the artist has also done many of the world renown Elvis-on-velvet paintings
Was the painter Jean Baudrillard?
The "Biff" sweater - worn by every spolied rich college boy who loses the girl to to the Dobie Gillis everyman.
Good one, Sebastian. "The simulacrum is true." If there had been a blue guitar in the painting, I'd have put money on Deleuze.
If Trump were Obama he could get an AP photographer to take a picture of him with a halo and run it in national publications.
CStanley, I concur with your comment: "Occam's razor says that Trump is vain and has gaudy taste." If you look at the hotels and, once upon a time, the casinos, his gaudy taste is apparently. I don't find it endearing, either. He is indeed a vulgarian, whether or not he is short-fingered. His taste certainly seems more like "new money" than inherited wealth, but even "new money" is not usually so tacky.
This blog seems to have a fetish, for performance art. Occam's razor says that Trump is vain and has gaudy taste.
Althouse seems rather invested in Trump for whatever reason. This is despite (because of?) her spouse and son taking a dim view of the man. Her posts these days remind me of the movie "Being There."
I think what our insightful young friend is saying is that we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, but we're upset by the seasons of our economy.
The lawyer's mind is quick to assemble rationalizations for actions with a much simpler explanation.
I also wonder if Rush Limbaugh has contributed to people's inability to see Trump for what he is. After all, Rush spent years cultivating his over-the-top arrogance shtick, which I always found amusing and endearing. That repetition may have created a positive association with what is really a psychological warning sign.
Elvis-on-velvet paintings
Exactly!!
"You mean like "Obama's stash"? It never ceases to amaze me how stupid people are in people's stories about other people."
Are you saying that many of Trump's supporters are like Obama supporters, Stupid?
his Beautiful picture could be a preview for the new currency called the Drumpf 100 dollar note.
Aww look, we have a sighting of a spewing of a John Oliver talking point! Why not call him Colonel Drumpf! Why not go full let's call him a nazi!
@traditionalguy:eating meat of animals sacrificed to idol gods "with the blood in it. "
Even a raw steak does not have any blood in it.
And kosher laws for meat are so much stricter than just not leaving blood in the animal. The Jews and Muslims I know, who keep to their dietary laws, just don't eat meat at all unless they know how it was killed.
So this justification is pretty underwhelming.
I assume that if Trump eats steak well-done, probably he likes it that way; some people do.
Are you saying that many of Trump's supporters are like Obama supporters, Stupid
I think you should always be on the lookout for irony when reading my comments.
"I also wonder if Rush Limbaugh has contributed to people's inability to see Trump for what he is."
Or perhaps your snobbery prevents you from seeing aspects of what he really is?
I have postulated since the beginning that most of the Trump hate is class based. The annointed sneering down their noses at the vulgar, declasse rich man who is culturally "Outer Burroughs".
I have known other people with paintings in this style. I have a question for Miss Manners, what the hell are you supposed to say when confronted with one of these monstrosities.
"just don't eat meat at all unless they know how it was killed."
A rule which doesn't necessarily exclude roadkill.
I think you should always be on the lookout for irony when reading my comments.
Maybe there is greater overlap in Trump and Obama supporters than either would want to admit out loud.
Eating kosher ribeyes on the rib bone well done is the food of the Gods, especially the fat parts.
But steak sushi seems a waste of good meat.
Didn't the media use this line of attack on Ben Carson with a copy of the portrait of himself hanging in his foyer?
"Maybe there is greater overlap in Trump and Obama supporters than either would want to admit out loud."
Maybe, but I doubt it. I know a lot of Trump supporters and they all loath Obama. In fact I'd suggest Trump is the antithesis of Obama and a natural reaction to his presidency.
Bill Maher mocks portrait in Ben Carson’s home of candidate posing with ‘Jesus in a bathrobe’.
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/bill-maher-mocks-portrait-in-ben-carsons-home-of-candidate-posing-with-jesus-in-a-bathrobe/
Althouse student eval: "Quick to resent any trifling injury or affront; irascible, petulantly spiteful." ...Lord knows what I said to deserve that
Maybe you refused to change your policy of only censoring certain racial slurs because "I don't want to give you the satisfaction".
Or maybe you falsely accused him of racism when he pressed you on it.
Or maybe you front-paged a hit piece on him, sliming him as a homophobe, simply because he mentioned he was tired of all the gay-related posts here.
Could be any number of things. Petulant? Spiteful? Surely not.
The portrait is Trump's "Jay Gatsby" moment, his longing to be accepted by old money yankee WASP. Problem is that yankee old money WASPs don't hang vanity portraits of themselves in tennis whites, old money yankee WASPs hang portraits of their ancestors who date back one hundred years.
I'd prefer a black velvet painting of him standing between Jesus and Elvis.
@Paul,
who is culturally "Outer Burroughs"
Was Outer Burroughs related to William or Edgar Rice?
Oh, boroughs, as in the Bronx, Staten Island, etc.
I know, goddamn autocorrect. It gets us all, it does.
YoungHegelian, you got me. Fair and square. I can't spell for shirt.
Poor Trump, he can't get no respect.
The proud guy can't humble himself to take HUGE BRIBES offered to him in good faith by Foreign Enemy Powers and Internet Trillionaires who just want a World for sale to the highest bidder. What will they have to do to him next.
They will have to send a mission up river to terminate the Trump Apocalypse.
@Paul,
I can't spell for shirt.
Very good! Thanks for the chuckle.
Brando: "It's been a while since I saw that film but don't remember that part"
"Burn me a steak"
AReasonableMan: "I have known other people with paintings in this style. I have a question for Miss Manners, what the hell are you supposed to say when confronted with one of these monstrosities"
You say "That is a beautiful frame", even if it isn't.
No one can get enough of Trump. The NYT will need a full daily section devoted to his presidential goings on.
"Burn me a steak"
I'll have to put that on my Netflix queue--I assume that was John Wayne's line? My favorite Wayne line was from Comancheros (which had one of the best movie theme songs) where he says "I wouldn't go around saying that too often...and once more would be too often."
Is that really his name? Senec(h)al more or less means "butler."
Trump used to get 80% of the coverage on Cable TV and the nets. Since the Sea Island Cloister meet up, he has gotten NONE, but every word uttered against Trump, or about the magnificent and oh so lovable Kasich has gotten 100% of the non Dem race Cable TV and Nets coverage.
tim in vermont@8:10am/
"He's like a character out of Caddyshack. "
Tim wins the thread! (so far)
Mac McConnel @10:37am/
"...old money conservative WASPS don't hang vanity portraits of themselves in tennis whites..."
No, you're right, they just wear them instead--every weekend..
@A Reasonable Man: I have a question for Miss Manners, what the hell are you supposed to say when confronted with one of these monstrosities.
I've read Miss Manners for many years; manners are fundamentally for putting people at their ease in social situations. A "mannered put-down" is a contradiction in terms. You say the same thing for that portrait that you would say to their child's art, especially if you are a GUEST IN THEIR HOME.
PS: I can't miss this opportunity to tell this story about vanity and portraits (the subject of the post, no?) which I think most here will enjoy. In undergraduate days I took a philosophy course from a Greek professor (and a helluva tennis player--he used to practice w. our team) On one occasion he invited the entire class (about 12 people) over to his house for drinks (mainly to subtly hustle the young debutants, lol, he and his wife had an open marriage--she used to like to hustle young studs on campus) Along the top of his dining room four walls he had a hand-painted Grecian freize of all the Olympic Gods playing their appropriate roles in Olympus. One minor detail: ALL had HIS visage atop the torso.. ROTFLMAO!!!!
Blogger virgil xenophon said...
tim in vermont@8:10am/
"He's like a character out of Caddyshack. "
Tim wins the thread! (so far)
3/15/16, 11:20 AM
----------------------------
I object!
He's like Rodney Dangerfield in "Back to School"
I win.
Trying to tie it all in -- Caddyshack and steaks. Trump as Judge Smails telling the valet "Porterhouse" to get the wax build-up off of his shoes and then buff them with a fine chamois:
"Chop, chop!"
I have known other people with paintings in this style. I have a question for Miss Manners, what the hell are you supposed to say when confronted with one of these monstrosities.
"My, that piece is...interesting" usually suffices.
Unless you're Southern. Then just saying "Oh, honey..." and trailing off puts the message out sufficiently.
I tried to take up painting, but the picture frames made it difficult to sand between coats.
Billionaire gets his steaks cooked well done? He just lost my vote!
Ann Althouse said...Puts in some tasty charred flavor though. Some people like that. And tough is just another texture. Maybe the meat is so tender its still tender when well done. But some people enjoy chewing. He seems to have some sturdy chompers.
I appreciate your enormous generosity here, Professor, but no. Blackening or heavily-searing a steak adds some tasty charred flavor. Cooking it well done just ruins it, and no meat is tender enough to still be tender when well done (by definition, really).
"Trump doesn't understand how steak should taste, still thinks he has judgement necessary to be Prez. Sad."
I'd like to think that Trump meant the portrait as some kind of post modern, ironic joke, but my guess is that when he looks in the mirror that portrait is the person he sees. He doesn't much struggle with problems of self esteem. The neat thing is that he has convinced a fair number of people that he looks like that......I wonder how much the artist charged him. The deal of the art, as Simon said to Garfunkel during royalty negotiations.
If you have seen photos of Trump's apartment on 5th Avenue you know he doesn't do irony when it comes to furnishings and art.
That looks less like Trump and more like Lee Majors.
Commenter Chuck said ..."And not one of them has any business being President of the United States."
Chuck, Didn't you know the bar came down when Obama was elected? Absolutely anyone is qualified now.
Ignorance is Bliss: genius
French documentary (so you know it's classy as hell): Steak (R)evolution
Well done? No, no no.
virgil xenophon
The best clubs don't allow anything but tennis whites on the courts.
It's the hand draped across his thigh that caught my eye. The rather small hand drawn to look bigger? Thank you, Marco Rubio!
Interesting observation, traditionalguy. I've seen the list of attendees at The Cloister and found it to be an odd mix. Elon Musk? He likes his Goverment subsidies, but he is not a politico by any stretch of the imagination, i.e., he'd be just as likely to continue playing crony capitalist with Trump in the WH.
This reminds me of when I was touring Graceland and some blue haired old ladies were admiring a portrait of Elvis. I think it's the one shown here http://ralphcowan.weebly.com/celebrity-portraits.html. One of ladies commented that it was a very flattering portrait, to which my then girlfriend replied, "Of course it is. The artist wanted him to buy it."
He is rich, therefore you will love him.
Well, it's possible you may resist the urge to love him but as Republicans you are obligated to sense it in you.
Feel his richness, wealth and prosperity! It fuels the nation and inspires you to vote and to wake up another day!
Frat Guy in the Sky
It really captures the 80's rich guy aesthetic.
Brando and comedian john Mulaney think alike: Mulaney: Trump is a hobo's idea of a rich person.
King of the Hill: Hank's rules on cooking steak
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