Young Woman
Thayer frequently painted idealized women, a popular subject in late nineteenth-century art. The model for this painting was Bessie Price (1879–1968), an Irish immigrant who worked as a servant in the Thayer household and soon became one of the artist's favorite models. The figure is draped in classical style, recalling ancient Rome, yet she is also a "profoundly human presence," as the critic Royal Cortissoz wrote in 1923. "Young Woman" received a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition. The work retains its original frame, which was inspired by the designs of the architect Stanford White.
Artwork Details
- Title: Young Woman
- Artist: Abbott H. Thayer (American, Boston, Massachusetts 1849–1921 Dublin, New Hampshire)
- Date: ca. 1898
- Culture: American
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 39 5/8 x 31 5/8 in. (100.7 x 80.3 cm)
- Credit Line: Gift of George A. Hearn, 1906
- Object Number: 06.1298
- Curatorial Department: The American Wing
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