Women of Note
From the Frick Madison Museum Archive: Giovanni Battista Moroni's Portrait of a Woman
“Curator Aimee Ng: We had the pleasure of getting to know this compelling portrait very well in 2019, when it was one of the highlights of Moroni: The Riches of Renaissance Portraiture, the special exhibition that introduced this artist to American audiences. At that time, the portrait was considered one of the finest by Moroni in private hands. We are thrilled to now include it in our permanent collection, thanks to Aso’s great generosity.” Giovanni Battista Moroni (1520/24–1579/80) spent his career painting in and around his native Bergamo, in Lombardy, then part of the Venetian Republic. His portraits are celebrated for the psychological presence and lifelikeness of the sitters, as well as his extreme attention to detail, particularly to his subjects’ clothing and accessories — sumptuous fineries that signal wealth, status, and fashion." more »
From the US House of Representatives: Who Was Jeannette Rankin? Party Divisions of the House of Representatives, 1789 to Present
"The figures presented are the House party divisions as of the initial election results for a particular Congress. This means that subsequent changes in House membership due to deaths, resignations, contested or special elections, or changes in a Member’s party affiliation are not included. The determination of party membership relies upon a number of authoritative sources that include The Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House Clerk’s Election Statistics, Congressional Quarterly’s Guide to U.S. Elections, Michael Dubin’s United States Congressional Elections, and Kenneth Martis’s Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress."
more »
Retiring: Congresswoman Jackie Speier Named One of “Politico's 50” Most Influential People in American Politics for Bringing the Me Too Movement to Congress
"Speier first ran for Congress in 1979, facing a crowded field in a special election for a seat formerly held by Congressman Leo J. Ryan, for whom Speier had served as a legislative aide. The special election was called after Ryan was shot to death in Jonestown, at the compound of the People’s Temple, a cult in Guyana that had previously been based in Ryan’s District. Speier traveled with Ryan on that trip in 1978 in an attempt to rescue some of the cult’s 900 members. She was left nearly lifeless on the airport tarmac after being shot five times at point blank range with an assault rifle. Speier underwent multiple surgeries after the tragedy and while recovering she realized she had a choice to make: Did she want to be a victim or did she want to be a survivor? Speier chose to be a survivor, noting that 'looking death in the face can make you fearless.'" more »
US Department of Justice: First of Two Convicted at Trial in Michigan Governor Kidnapping Plot Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison
“Mr. Fox, and his confederate Mr. Croft, were convicted by a jury of masterminding a plot to kidnap the Governor of Michigan and to use weapons of mass destruction against responding law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s sentence reflects the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to protecting our elected officials, law enforcement officers, and dedicated public servants from criminal threats and violence — and to holding the perpetrators of such acts fully accountable under the law.” more »