Henry Geldzahler (1935–1994) was instrumental in establishing the Department of Contemporary Art at The Met in 1967. That same year, Neel painted this portrait of him, possibly hoping to forge a connection with a younger generation of curators and participate more actively in New York’s contemporary art scene. She shows the art historian with knees crossed and one arm slung over the back of his chair. Neel, who was fond of incorporating very subtle codes or cues into her painting, extends his pinky finger and surrounds him with a lavender halo, possible references to his sexuality. For his part, Geldzahler, who generally favored large-scale abstract art by men, believed initially that Neel’s work was not "modern" enough, but later embraced it in the 1980s.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
Open Access
As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.
API
Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.
Inscription: Signed and dated (lower right): Neel / '67
[Graham Gallery, New York, by 1968–at least 1975]; private collection, New York (by 1980–81; their gift to MMA)
San Francisco. Maxwell Galleries. "Alice Neel: A One Man Exhibition of Oil Painting," June 9–30, 1967, no catalogue.
New York. Graham Gallery. "Alice Neel," January 6–February 3, 1968, no. 11 (as "Museum Curator (Henry Geldzahler)").
Storrs. University of Connecticut. "Contemporary Portraits," February 2–23, 1969 (organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York), no catalogue (checklist no. 30, as "Portrait of Henry Geldzahler," lent by the Graham Gallery, New York).
Flint, Mich. Flint Institute of Arts. "Contemporary Portraits," March 21–April 13, 1969 (organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York), no catalogue.
Louisville, Ky. Speed Art Museum. "Contemporary Portraits," April 28–May 26, 1969 (organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York), no catalogue.
East Lansing. Kresge Art Center, Michigan State University. "Contemporary Portraits," July 6–August 3, 1969 (organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York), checklist no. 33 [checklist published in "Kresge Art Center Bulletin, Michigan State University" 2 (July 1969)].
Greensboro. University of North Carolina. "Contemporary Portraits," October 3–24, 1969 (organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York), no catalogue.
Jacksonville, Fla. Cummer Gallery of Art. "Contemporary Portraits," December 8, 1969–January 5, 1970 (organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York), no catalogue.
Middlebury, Vt. Middlebury College. "Contemporary Portraits," February 1–22, 1970 (organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York), no catalogue.
Philadelphia. Moore College of Art & Design. "Alice Neel: A Comprehensive Exhibition of Paintings, 1930–1970," January 15–February 19, 1971, no catalogue.
Philadelphia Civic Center. "Woman's Work: American Art 1974," April 78–May 26, 1974, unnum. brochure.
Stockton, Calif. University Center Gallery, University of the Pacific. "Alice Neel," April 15–30, 1975, no catalogue.
Athens. Georgia Museum of Art, The University of Georgia. "Alice Neel: The Woman and Her Work," September 7–October 19, 1975, no. 48 (lent by the Graham Gallery, New York).
Fair Lawn, N.J. Maurice M. Pine Public Library. "Alice Neel: Collector of Souls," November 23, 1975–January 2, 1976, no catalogue.
Washington, D.C. Fendrick Gallery. "Dorothy Gillespie, Alice Neel, Charlotte Robinson, Sylvia Sleigh: Recent Paintings and Works on Paper," September 29–October 25, 1976, unnumbered cat. (p. 14).
Hagerstown, Md. Washington County Museum of Fine Arts. "Paintings by Alice Neel," January 9–31, 1977, no catalogue.
Bethlehem, Penn. Alumni Memorial Building, Lehigh University. "Alice Neel, Painter," March 4–April 1, 1977, no catalogue.
Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art. "Alice Neel," February 8–26, 1978, no. 10.
Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Art Gallery, New Art Center, Skidmore College. "Alice Neel Paintings," November 16–December 12, 1978, no. 4.
New Canaan, Conn. The Silvermine Guild of Artists. "Alice Neel: A Retrospective Showing (An Exhibition in Two Parts)," March 18–April 8, 1979, no. 55.
Montclair, N.J. Montclair State College, Gallery One. "Alice Neel," April 28–May 23, 1980, no catalogue.
Fort Wayne, Ind. Fort Wayne Museum of Art. "Alice Neel," September 14–November 1, 1979, no. 4 (lent by the artist).
New York. Sarah Institute, The Second Floor Salon. "Alice Neel's 80th Birthday Exhibition," January 8–24, 1980.
Boston University Art Gallery. "Alice Neel: Paintings of Two Decades," October 9–November 2, 1980.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "30 Painters: Recent Acquisitions (formerly titled ‘Given and Promised’)," January 26–March 14, 1982, brochure no. 20.
Jacksonville, Fla. Jacksonville Art Museum. "The Figure in 20th Century American Art: Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," February 9–April 21, 1985, unnumbered cat. (p. 61).
Oklahoma City. Oklahoma Museum of Art. "The Figure in 20th Century American Art: Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," May 5–June 30, 1985, unnumbered cat.
New York. National Academy of Design. "The Figure in 20th Century American Art: Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," July 16–September 1, 1985, unnumbered cat.
Evanston, Ill. Terra Museum of American Art. "The Figure in 20th Century American Art: Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," September 15–November 10, 1985, unnumbered cat.
Little Rock. Arkansas Arts Center. "The Figure in 20th Century American Art: Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," November 12, 1985–January 19, 1986, unnumbered cat.
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. "The Figure in 20th Century American Art: Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," February 9–March 30, 1986, unnumbered cat.
St. Paul. Minnesota Museum of Art. "The Figure in 20th Century American Art: Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," April 20–June 8, 1986, unnumbered cat.
Roslyn Harbor, NY. Nassau County Museum of Art. "Faces & Figures," September 21, 1997–January 4, 1998, unnumbered cat. (fig. 39).
New York. Whitney Museum of American Art. "Alice Neel," June 29–September 17, 2000, no. 50.
Andover, Mass. Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy. "Alice Neel," October 6–December 31, 2000, no. 50.
Philadelphia Museum of Art. "Alice Neel," February 18–April 15, 2001, no. 50.
Minneapolis. Walker Art Center. "Alice Neel," June 10–September 2, 2001, no. 50.
Denver Art Museum. "Alice Neel," October 6–December 30, 2001, no. 50.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Facing the Figure: Selected Works from the Collection, 1962–2007," May 28–September 6, 2010, no catalogue.
Ateneum Art Museum, Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. "Alice Neel. Painter of Modern Life," June 10–October 2, 2016, no. 44.
Gemeentemuseum Den Haag. "Alice Neel. Painter of Modern Life," November 5, 2016–February 12, 2017, no. 44.
Fondation Vincent van Gogh Arles. "Alice Neel. Painter of Modern Life," March 4–September 17, 2017, no. 44.
Deichtorhallen Hamburg. "Alice Neel. Painter of Modern Life," October 13, 2017–January 14, 2018, no. 44.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Alice Neel: People Come First," March 22–August 1, 2021, unnumbered cat. (p. 173).
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. "Alice Neel: People Come First," September 17, 2021–February 6, 2022, unnumbered cat.
M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. "Alice Neel: People Come First," March 12–July 10, 2022, unnumbered cat.
Alexander Fried. "Portraits With a Difference." San Francisco Examiner (June 16, 1967), p. 25, ill., calls it "Henry Geldzahler, Curator of Art".
C[indy]. N[emser]. "Alice Neel." Arts Magazine 42 (February 1968), p. 60, calls it "Museum Curator (Portrait of Henry Geldzahler)".
Sarah Lansdell. "Regional Art: Portraits at Speed—New Views of the 'Being'." Courier-Journal (May 4, 1969), p. G20, ill.
Victoria Donohoe. "Homecoming 'Collector of Souls' Displays Portraits at Moore." Philadelphia Inquirer (January 24, 1971), p. 8.
Calvin Tomkins. "Profiles: Moving with the Flow." New Yorker (November 6, 1971), p. 94.
Victoria Donohoe. "In All Their Infinite Variety at Civic Center & Fleisher." Philadelphia Inquirer (April 28, 1974), p. 11M, ill.
David Spengler. "Sex No Criterion: Let Women's Art Speak for Itself." Record (Hackensack, New Jersey) (December 18, 1975), p. 25, ill.
Charles Johnson. "Neel's Portraits Emerge." Sacramento Bee (April 27, 1975), p. S4, ill.
Cindy Nemser inAlice Neel: The Woman and Her Work. Exh. cat., Georgia Museum of Art, The University of Georgia. Athens, 1975, unpaginated, no. 48, ill.
David Spengler. "Women Exhibit Artwork." Record (Hackensack, New Jersey) (December 3, 1975), p. B14.
"Alice Neel Exhibition to Open at County Museum." Morning Herald, Hagerstown (January 7, 1977), p. 9, ill., calls it "Portrait of Henry Geldzahler".
Ellen H. Johnson. "Alice Neel's Fifty Years of Portrait Painting." Studio International 193 (March 1977), p. 176, fig. B (detail).
Harry F. Gaugh. Alice Neel Paintings. Exh. cat., Art Gallery, New Art Center, Skidmore College. 1978, unpaginated, no. 4.
Henry R. Hope. "Alice Neel: Portraits of an Era." Art Journal 38 (Summer 1979), p. 280, fig. 2 (image courtesy Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia).
Martha B. Scott. Alice Neel: A Retrospective Showing. Exh. cat., Silvermine Guild of Artists. [New Canaan, Conn.], 1979, unpaginated, no. 55, ill. (color).
Rita Mercedes. "Alice Neel Talks to Rita Mercedes." Connoisseur 208 (September 1981), p. 3.
Carl Schoettler. "The Artist as Survivor: Alice Neel Decided You Might as Well Live." Evening Sun (February 26, 1981), p. C8.
Hilton Kramer. "Met Presents Works Bought for Under $5,000 Each." New York Times (January 29, 1982), p. C23.
William S. Lieberman. "Lieberman's Acquisitions." Art/World 6 (February 22/March 22, 1982), p. 10.
Lowery Stokes Sims. The Figure in 20th Century American Art: Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Exh. cat., Jacksonville Art Museum. New York, 1984, pp. 60–61, ill.
Paul Richard. "Alice Neel, Painting's Piercing Soul." Washington Post (October 16, 1984), p. B1.
Mark M. Johnson. "The Figure in Twentieth-Century American Art." Arts and Activities 98 (November 1985), p. 25, ill. (color).
John Brandenburg. "Museum's Offerings Tell Story of 20th Century America." Daily Oklahoman/Times (May 30, 1985), p. 15.
Margaret Belcher and Gerald L. Belcher. Collecting Souls, Gathering Dust: The Struggles of Two American Artists, Alice Neel and Rhoda Medary. New York, 1991, p. 245, fig. 26.
Paul Goldberger. "Henry Geldzahler, 59, Critic, Public Official and Contemporary Art's Champion, Is Dead." New York Times (August 17, 1994), p. B11.
Ingrid Sischy. "Making it New." Interview 24 (April 1994), ill. p. 16.
Cindy Nemser. Art Talk: Conversations with 15 Women Artists. Rev. and enl. ed. (1st ed., 1975). New York, 1995, p. 115, ill. p. 123.
Julia Szabo. "Face Time." Newsday (Suffolk Edition) (September 21, 1997), p. D17, ill.
Pamela Allara. Pictures of People: Alice Neel's American Portrait Gallery. Hanover, N.H., 1998, pp. 177–79, fig. 113.
Daniel Kunitz. "'Alice Neel' at the Whitney Museum of American Art." New Criterion 19 (September 2000), pp. 46–47.
Edward J. Sozanski. "Subjects of Alice Neel's Portraits Pose Again and Reminisce." Philadelphia Inquirer (June 25, 2000), p. I13.
John Zinsser. "Painter's Journal." artnet.com/magazineus. July 19, 2000, ill. (color).
Charles Molesworth. "Alice Neel and Others." Salmagundi no. 128/129 (Fall 2000–Winter 2001), p. 63.
Hilton Kramer. "The Mob Loves Alice Neel, But I Think She's Mean." New York Observer (July 24, 2000), Arts and Entertainment section, p. 1.
Anne d'Harnoncourt inAlice Neel. Ed. Ann Temkin. Exh. cat., Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia, 2000, pp. 8. 183, colorpl. 50.
Richard Flood inAlice Neel. Ed. Ann Temkin. Exh. cat., Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia, 2000, pp. 58, 62.
Jerry Saltz. "Auntie-Hero." Village Voice (July 25, 2000), p. 65.
Raphael Rubinstein. "Eros in Spanish Harlem." Art in America 88 (December 2000), p. 109.
Mary Voelz Chandler. "Collector of Souls: Alice Neel's Singular Vision on Display in DAM Event." Rocky Mountain News (October 4, 2001), p. 11D.
Robert Silberman. "Alice Neel. Minneapolis." Burlington Magazine 143 (August 2001), p. 519.
Myra Yellin Outwater. "Outrageous, Honest Alice Neel Gets Overdue Recognition in Phila. Retrospective." Morning Call (February 25, 2001), p. F10.
Mary Abbe. "Sitting for Alice." Star Tribune (June 1, 2001), p. 13.
Christine Temin. "The Faces of Alice Neel: Retrospective Bares Essence of Portraitist." Boston Globe (October 12, 2001), p. C16.
Daisy Fried. "Review: Hard-Won Innocence." Threepenny Review no. 90 (Summer 2002), pp. 29–30, reviews Exh. Philadelphia 2002.
Alan G. Artner. "A Work of Art: Documentary Shows Geldzahler as Curator Who Helped Shape Creations of the '60s." Chicago Tribune (June 8, 2006), p. 3, section 5.
Phoebe Hoban. Alice Neel: The Art of Not Sitting Pretty. New York, 2010, pp. 255–56, 322, 328, 346–47, fig. 9 (color).
Laura Cumming. "Alice's Forgotten Wonderland: At Last the Hugely Influential American Painter Alice Neel is on Show in Britain." Observer (July 11, 2010), p. 29.
Robert Storr in Jeremy Lewison et al. Alice Neel: Painted Truths. Exh. cat., Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Houston, 2010, p. 72, fig. 2 (color).
Jeremy Lewison in Jeremy Lewison et al. Alice Neel: Painted Truths. Exh. cat., Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Houston, 2010, p. 61 n. 59.
Patricia Hills. "Neel, Alice." Concise Dictionary of Women Artists. Ed. Delia Gaze. (1st ed., 2001). New York, 2011, p. 507.
Bice Curiger inAlice Neel. Painter of Modern Life. Ed. Jeremy Lewison. Exh. cat., Ateneum Art Museum, Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. Brussels, 2016, p. 50.
Jeremy Lewison inAlice Neel. Painter of Modern Life. Ed. Jeremy Lewison. Exh. cat., Ateneum Art Museum, Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki. Brussels, 2016, pp. 162–63, no. 44, ill. (color).
Alan Bisbort. "Portraits from Real Life: Alice Neel Painting People As They Are." Republican-American (July 9, 2017), p. E1.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guide. New York, 2019, p. 431, ill. (color).
Roberta Smith. "Right Where She Belongs." New York Times (April 1, 2021), p. C8.
Erica Ackerberg. "The Eclectic Lives Behind Alice Neel's Portraits." nytimes.com. July 10, 2021, ill. (color).
Alice Neel (American, Merion Square, Pennsylvania 1900–1984 New York)
1963
Resources for Research
The Met's Libraries and Research Centers provide unparalleled resources for research and welcome an international community of students and scholars.
The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can connect to the most up-to-date data and public domain images for The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
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.
The Met's engagement with art from 1890 to today includes the acquisition and exhibition of works in a range of media, spanning movements in modernism to contemporary practices from across the globe.
