ticketsMember | Make a donation

Repose

1895
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 770
Alexander, who lived in Paris during the 1890s, achieved international success with his studies of female figures gracefully posed in elegant interiors. In this example, the provocative facial expression and supple curves reflect the contemporary French taste for sensual images of women as well as the undulating linear rhythms of Art Nouveau. With its model decoratively attired in a sweep of white fabric, "Repose" was lampooned in a French magazine as a portrayal of Loïe Fuller (1862–1928), the American dancer famous for manipulating swirling folds of silk in her performances at the Folies Bergère in Paris.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Repose
  • Artist: John White Alexander (American, Allegheny, Pennsylvania 1856–1915 New York)
  • Date: 1895
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 52 1/4 x 63 5/8 in. (132.7 x 161.6 cm)
  • Credit Line: Anonymous Gift, 1980
  • Object Number: 1980.224
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Elizabeth Alexander, John White Alexander American, Monotype
Elizabeth Alexander
John White Alexander
ca. 1881
Study in Black and Green (Oil Sketch), John White Alexander American, Oil on canvas, American
Study in Black and Green (Oil Sketch)
John White Alexander
ca. 1906
The Ring, John White Alexander American, Oil on canvas, American
The Ring
John White Alexander
1911
Walt Whitman, John White Alexander American, Oil on canvas, American
Walt Whitman
John White Alexander
1889
James McNeill Whistler, John White Alexander American, Charcoal on paper, American
James McNeill Whistler
John White Alexander

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.