Reflections of Me c. 1940s

Haddon Sundblom’s painting, Reflections of Me, primarily relies on oil paint applied to canvas, a familiar pairing in the world of fine art. Sundblom demonstrates sophisticated skill with the brush, capturing the nuances of light and shadow on the model’s skin, and the folds of the cloth she is sitting on. This level of verisimilitude is traditionally valued in academic painting. But, the way the image was intended to function opens an interesting perspective. Sundblom was a successful commercial artist, best known for his long association with the Coca-Cola company, for whom he created the modern image of Santa Claus. Seen in that context, Reflections of Me, and other works in a similar vein, can be seen as a kind of labor. The artist's ability to evoke the allure of the figure contributes to a world of visual culture, which in turn feeds into a cycle of consumption. Sundblom’s command of his medium helps to challenge the hierarchy between art and commerce, demonstrating how traditional techniques can be mobilized within a capitalist system.