Fair Critics

1887

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 764

A native of Kentucky, Curran moved in 1881 to New York, where he studied at the National Academy of Design and became a popular painter of genre scenes and portraits. Here, he has depicted a model presenting her image to an audience of two "fair critics." The artist, with his palette on his knee, attempts to gauge their reactions. The lavish interior recalls William Merritt Chase’s eclectic and abundantly equipped studio, which inspired many of his contemporaries. A handsome studio signified the effort to create beauty for its own sake and reassured clients of its proprietor’s sophisticated taste.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Fair Critics
Artist: Charles Courtney Curran (1861–1942)
Date: 1887
Culture: American
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 18 x 32 in. (45.7 x 81.3 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Daniel and Mathew Wolf, in memory of Diane R. Wolf, 2014
Object Number: 2014.128
Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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