Magnolia

1899

Not on view

This painting shows the London-based artist’s daughter holding a sprig of magnolia blossoms, which in Victorian literature were often a sign of a character’s love of nature. The costume and the stylized fleur-de-lis motifs that decorate the green backdrop suggest a somewhat contrived presentation of the girl as a “dress-up” princess. The artist’s only child and one of his favorite models, Kitty Shannon (1887–1974) appears in many of his paintings. She later wrote several books, including an autobiography, published in 1933.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Magnolia
Artist: James Jebusa Shannon (1862–1923)
Date: 1899
Culture: American
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 71 5/8 x 39 1/4 in. (181.9 x 99.7 cm)
Credit Line: George A. Hearn Fund, 1913
Object Number: 13.143.2
Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

By James Jebusa Shannon

In the same medium

From the same time and place

Jungle Tales (Contes de la Jungle), James Jebusa Shannon American, Oil on canvas, American — Jungle Tales (Contes de la Jungle)
James Jebusa Shannon
1895

Powder Horn, Horn (cow), lead, American — Powder Horn
American
18th century

George Washington, Gilbert Stuart American, Oil on canvas, American — George Washington
Gilbert Stuart
begun 1795

Woman Reading a Book on a Beach, James Jebusa Shannon American, Watercolor and graphite on white wove paper, American — Woman Reading a Book on a Beach
James Jebusa Shannon
ca. 1891–96

Window Seat, D. Phyfe & Son American, Rosewood veneer; pine, yellow poplar (secondary woods); reproduction upholstery with original upholstery foundation, American — Window Seat
D. Phyfe & Son
1841

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 contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.