Artwork
Still Life with Fan and Pendant
Still Life with Fan and Pendant is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Samuel Marsden Brookes. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
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- Inscribed:lower left: S.M. Brookes
About this work
History & Provenance
, as a partial and promised gift finalized in 2004, where it entered the collection.
The still life was painted by Samuel Marsden Brookes in 1870. Its early market history is documented through Maxwell Galleries Ltd. in San Francisco by at least 1991. In January 1992, William H. and Abigail Booth Gerdts purchased the work in New York.
They later donated it to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., as a partial and promised gift finalized in 2004, where it entered the collection.
Context
Samuel Marsden Brookes painted Still Life with Fan and Pendant in 1870, an oil on board work measuring 45.7 × 31.1 cm. The painting belongs to the still‑life genre and is housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it entered the collection through a 2004 gift from William H. and Abigail Booth Gerdts. Its provenance traces back to Maxwell Galleries Ltd. and a 1992 acquisition, underscoring a documented chain of ownership that links the work to major American art markets. Scholarship on Brookes situates this piece within the broader development of 19th‑century American still‑life painting, highlighting his role in refining compositional balance and decorative detail.
Overview
Samuel Marsden Brookes, an American painter of English origin, created Still Life with Fan and Pendant around 1870. This oil on board painting exemplifies his focus on detailed, realistic compositions. Brookes, recognized for his still lifes, particularly those featuring fish and game, here presents a domestic arrangement. The work showcases his commitment to naturalistic representation through a careful depiction of everyday objects.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a meticulously arranged collection of domestic items on a dark table. A vase adorned with gold filigree holds white flowers and green foliage, positioned alongside a fan. A blue box and a white cloth are also present, complementing a jewelry box that reveals a pendant.
These elements are set against a dark brown background, creating a focused and intimate tableau that invites close observation of texture and form.
Technique & Style
Brookes executed Still Life with Fan and Pendant in the realist tradition, emphasizing precise observation and faithful rendering of his subjects. His approach prioritizes detailed depictions, capturing the nuances of light and shadow, and the textures of the various objects. This naturalistic style, characteristic of his still life work, reflects a dedication to technical skill and a desire to present the tangible world with clarity and accuracy.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Samuel Marsden Brookes (8 March 1816, Newington Green, Middlesex – 31 January 1892, San Francisco) was an English-born American painter.
