Artwork
The Finish
The Finish is an oil painting. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:on judges stand: 2-6; on newspaper of fifth man at lower left:BOSTON HERALD
About this work
History & Provenance
The artwork's provenance traces back to the Yandell family in Greenwich, Connecticut, who received it in the late 1920s or early 1930s from Mrs.
The painting was produced in 1860 by an unidentified American artist of the 19th century. It was later recorded as originating from Rhode Island before entering the collection of Mrs. Lunsford P. Yandell in Greenwich, Connecticut. She gifted it to her daughter, Mrs. John W. Hanes (Hope Yandell Hanes), in New York, either in the late 1920s or early 1930s.
After remaining in the Hanes family, it was sold in 1964 to Wildenstein and Company, New York, which then transferred it the same year to collectors Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. Upon their deaths, the work passed by bequest to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1980.
The painting The Finish is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it was accessioned in 1980 via the bequest of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. Prior to this transfer, the work passed through the hands of Mrs. John W. Hanes (Hope Yandell Hanes) of New York, who sold it in 1964 to Wildenstein and Company, and subsequently to the Garbisches. The Garbisches had acquired it earlier that same year.
The artwork's provenance traces back to the Yandell family in Greenwich, Connecticut, who received it in the late 1920s or early 1930s from Mrs. Lunsford P. Yandell. While specific exhibition dates are not detailed in the provided records, the work's documented history confirms its long-term residence in the National Gallery of Art.
Overview
"The Finish" is an oil painting rendered on a wood panel. The composition features a white house positioned beneath the bare branches of a tree. A low stone wall extends across the foreground, defining the property's boundary. Above, the sky is depicted in a subdued gray-blue hue, contributing to the work's quiet atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
This artwork presents a domestic scene characterized by its simplicity and stillness. The central white house, framed by the skeletal form of the tree and the linear element of the stone wall, suggests a moment of calm or perhaps a specific seasonal setting. The muted palette and direct portrayal invite contemplation of the dwelling within its immediate environment.
Technique & Style
The artist utilized impasto, a technique involving the application of thick paint, to create textural effects within the composition. This is particularly noticeable in the white areas of the house, where the raised brushstrokes generate a sense of luminosity and movement. This deliberate handling of the medium allows light to interact dynamically with the painted surface, enhancing its visual impact.
Artist & collection
