Artwork
Liberty
Liberty is an oil painting. It dates from 1810 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The canvas presents a solitary female figure clutching an American flag bearing fifteen stars.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting Liberty, created in 1800 by an American artist of the 19th century, is classified as an allegorical work.
The painting Liberty, created in 1800 by an American artist of the 19th century, is classified as an allegorical work. While the provided sources identify the genre as allegory, they do not specify the particular iconographic elements, symbolic attributes, or detailed narrative meaning depicted within the canvas. The title suggests a personification of the concept of liberty, yet the sources offer no description of the figure's appearance, accompanying symbols, or the specific political or social message the work was intended to convey to its original audience.
Technique & Style
Liberty is an oil painting executed on canvas. The work measures 75.9 by 50.9 centimeters and was created in 1800 by an American 19th-century artist. It belongs to the allegorical genre and was originally recorded as originating from Connecticut before being acquired by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch in 1950.
The painting was subsequently gifted to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains in the collection today.
History & Provenance
The painting is dated to 1800 and is recorded as originating from Connecticut. It was acquired in 1950 by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who subsequently gave it to the National Gallery of Art in 1955, where it remains in the collection.
The painting Liberty is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It entered the museum's holdings in 1955 as a gift from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who had originally purchased the work in 1950. Prior to its acquisition by the Garbisches, the piece was recorded as originating from Connecticut. The provided sources do not list specific inventory or accession numbers for the work, nor do they document any exhibition history.
Overview
The canvas presents a solitary female figure clutching an American flag bearing fifteen stars. She is dressed in a white gown with blue trim, her hair softly curled, and she wears strappy sandals. A luminous torch blazes behind her, while stalks of wheat sway in the background, all set against a deep, shadowed backdrop that accentuates her illuminated presence.
Artist & collection
