Independence Day

Califano, John (1864-1946)

Item type:

painting

Date of creation:

1900

Height:

52.1 cm  (20 1/2 in.)

Width:

71.3 cm  (28 1/16 in.)

framed: 74.1 × 94.1 × 10.5 cm (29 3/16 × 37 1/16 × 4 1/8 in.)

Technique / Medium:

oil on wood panel

Description

In a scene that invites multiple interpretations--ranging from imaginative dramatic play by children, to children's imitation of adult celebrations or even protest demonstrations (various causes) in the late 19th century--Califano presents a brigade of boys wearing hats made of paper (some may be folded newspapers). Four are playing instruments made from "found objects": kitchen utensils, a funnel, and a wine cask.

Iconclass

41AA17
farm (building) - AA - civic architecture; inside
47I42421
wine-press
31D11221
boy (child between toddler and youth)
41D29
clothed in rags
46D32
newsboy, newsman
41D221(PAPER HAT)
head-gear: paper hat
43C716
trade games, imitative games, imitating adults
43C74311
pot-and-pan orchestra, rough music
41A775
wooden container: barrel, cask, bucket
43C7431
'music' of children
43A14
festivities falling on calendar dates; memorial days
48C737
improvised musical instruments (kitchen-utensils, etc.)

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Drum [2585] (two types: kitchen pot; wine cask)
Beater [6071] (two types: kitchen utensil; large stick)
Trumpet [4446] (funnel, as might be found in kitchen or winery)
Cymbals [2451] (pan lids)

RIdIM images

Image URLs

image link 1

Bibliographic references

Kritkausky, Randy. "Living pictures and still images: Child's play and the creation of social identities in Shoetown (1890-1920)", The preserve of childhood: Adult artifice and construction: Images of late-nineteenth century American childhood (Binghamton: University Art Gallery, State University of New York, 1985) 24-25.

Notes

This painting's title and its year of creation--1900--invite several streams of thought, including whether or not the newspaper hats pictured reflect both the strikes by "newsies" in the late 19th century, and Hearst's launching of a new newspaper (the "Chicago American") on July 4, 1900. [https://chicagology.com/newspapers/chicagoamerican/] Califano was living in Chicago at this time.

RIdIM record id

6102