Artwork
The Offering
The Offering is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Charles Webster Hawthorne. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Created in 1915, The Offering is an oil painting executed on canvas. The work measures 153 cm in height and 122.5 cm in width. Produced in the United States by Charles Webster Hawthorne, the piece is classified as a painting and currently resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The Offering was painted in 1915 by Charles Webster Hawthorne as an oil on canvas work created in the United States.
The Offering was painted in 1915 by Charles Webster Hawthorne as an oil on canvas work created in the United States. After its completion, the painting entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it has remained since its acquisition in 1931 (accession number 1931.244). No further ownership transfers or commission details are documented in the available sources.
The Offering is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio. Its accession number is 1931.244. The work was created in 1915 and has been part of the museum's collection since that time.
It was exhibited in the museum's American Art galleries in 1931. The painting measures 153.0 cm in height and 122.5 cm in width.
Overview
Created in 1915, The Offering is an oil painting by American artist Charles Webster Hawthorne. Executed during his mature period, the work exemplifies his interest in everyday domestic scenes rendered with a light that emphasizes facial expressions and gestures. The painting is part of the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman in a dark dress cradling an infant, while two young boys occupy the foreground, one holding a fishing rod, the other displaying a caught fish. The arrangement suggests a quiet, familial moment of sharing and provision, with the title hinting at the act of giving or presenting.
Context
Hawthorne, founder of the Cape Cod School of Art in 1899, combined training from New York and European academies with a focus on ordinary life. The Offering illustrates his synthesis of academic technique and Impressionist light, situating the piece within the broader movement of American Impressionism that sought to capture contemporary domesticity.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Webster Hawthorne (January 8, 1872 – November 29, 1930) was an American portrait and genre painter and a noted teacher who founded the Cape Cod School of Art in 1899.
