Lily

1898

Not on view

Dow studied painting in France for five years before returning to Boston in 1889. Fascinated by Ukiyo-e prints, he examined works at the Museum of Fine Arts, together with Japanese printing equipment at the Smithsonian Institution. In 1891 he began to make woodblock prints, favoring formats that echoed Japanese pillar prints. That verticality remained central to his conception in “Lily,” in which plant forms seem to emerge from water. While the floral subject, strong outlines, and pronounced cropping show a continued admiration for Japanese models, the colors and forms also communicate Dow’s engagement with the American Arts and Crafts movement. His principles of design impacted the decoration of art pottery, furniture, and embroidery by artists who studied with and were influenced by him.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Lily
Artist: Arthur Wesley Dow (American, Ipswich, Massachusetts 1857–1922 New York State)
Date: 1898
Geography: (none assigned) Ipswich, Massachusetts, United States
Culture: American
Medium: Color woodcut; first proof
Dimensions: Image: 8 3/4 × 2 5/16 in. (22.2 × 5.9 cm)
Sheet: 10 7/16 × 3 13/16 in. (26.5 × 9.7 cm)
Credit Line: The Morse Family Foundation Fund, 2016
Object Number: 2016.428
Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

By Arthur Wesley Dow

In the same medium

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Modern Art

Multiple artists/makers

1895

Little Venice, Arthur Wesley Dow American, Color woodcut; early state, with key block and single color — Little Venice
Arthur Wesley Dow
ca. 1893

Little Venice, Arthur Wesley Dow American, Color woodcut — Little Venice
Arthur Wesley Dow
ca. 1893

Marsh Creek, Arthur Wesley Dow American, Color woodcut — Marsh Creek
Arthur Wesley Dow
ca. 1907

"The Derelict" or "The Lost Boat", Arthur Wesley Dow American, Color woodcut; trial proof of single color block, American — "The Derelict" or "The Lost Boat"
Arthur Wesley Dow
1916

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