Why do artists depict Asian women as green or blue

April 15, 2004 6:07 PM

Art question:
What's the significance/history behind paintings of blue- or green-skinned Asian women?
[more inside, including a photo (SFW)]

I've seen several paintings similar to this one, and I've always wondered what the story was behind them. They're usually done quite well, but offer no context as to the reason for the blue-green skin.

posted by me3dia to media & arts (10 comments total)

I believe it has to do with certain dieties traditionally having blue skin. Thus the subject of the portait is being compared to the Gods.
posted by falconred at 6:23 PM on April 15, 2004

Colloidal silver?
Methemoglobinemia?

Probably not either of those, eh? Could it be tied to Hinduism in some way? (Vishnu is generally blue, no?)
posted by malphigian at 6:23 PM on April 15, 2004

Vishnu is blue-skinned and long-haired. Are you sure the paintings aren't of him? (It's hard to tell from your example)
posted by TimeFactor at 6:48 PM on April 15, 2004

Definitely female, and usually identifiably Chinese/Eastern Asian features. If it were an Indian god, I'd recognize it.

Sorry 'bout the photo -- it was taken from across a dark bar. Best I could do, and I couldn't find any examples online.
posted by me3dia at 6:51 PM on April 15, 2004

Come to think of it, someone I was with when I took the photo mentioned that it reminded him of some tiki art. Does that ring any bells?
posted by me3dia at 6:53 PM on April 15, 2004

they're generally all painted by vladimir tretchikoff. the site has a good gallery with other blue and green ladies.
posted by nylon at 7:38 PM on April 15, 2004

Wow, nylon, the painting I took a photo of is in that gallery! Thanks!
posted by me3dia at 7:51 PM on April 15, 2004

That painting is pretty famous and has a reputation as a piece of kitschy or retro art. Here's an article on the artist, but still no grand explanation. :)
posted by tracicle at 8:31 PM on April 15, 2004

Yup that's Tretchikoff, or Tretchy as he is known in South Africa, where he lives. He was quite the controversial artist in that he readily allowed his paintings to be made into prints. He believed his art should be made accessible to the public for a decent price and this coupled with his large popularity ruffled a few feathers in the highbrow art world. In the 60's and 70's a Tretchikoff print in a middle class South African house was almost mandatory. These days his work, especially the coloured ladies portraits, is considered to be the epitome of retro kitsch cool here.
posted by PenDevil at 12:15 AM on April 16, 2004

Paul Gaugin appears to have an effect in Russian art at the turn of the century. Perhaps his color schemes inspired Tretchy?

So m3dia, what bar? tracicle's article link implies that it's the original. [BTW: Uri Geller?]
posted by mwhybark at 1:01 PM on April 16, 2004