Artwork
Julia McCune Flory and Elizabeth Flory
Julia McCune Flory and Elizabeth Flory is a photography by Clarence H. White. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Clarence H.
- Accession no.
- 1980.166
About this work
Overview
Clarence H. White’s 1915 photograph titled Julia McCune Flory and Elizabeth Flory presents a quiet, intimate portrait of two women seated together. The image is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of early twentieth‑century pictorial photography.
Subject & Meaning
In the composition the woman on the left faces the viewer directly, her rounded features softened by gentle illumination. Behind her, a second figure with her hair pulled back looks away, creating a subtle contrast between engagement and contemplation. The simple dark garments and the small object held by the foreground sitter suggest a private, perhaps domestic, moment shared between the two.
Technique & Style
White employs a chiaroscuro effect, using a focused light source to render the faces luminous against a dim, shadowed backdrop. The soft lighting and shallow depth of field give the photograph a painterly quality characteristic of the pictorialist movement, while the careful arrangement of the subjects emphasizes line and form over narrative detail.
History & Provenance
Created in 1915, the photograph entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (or donation) in the mid‑20th century, joining a broader assemblage of White’s work that illustrates his contribution to American photographic art. Its presence in the museum’s collection underscores the institution’s commitment to preserving early modern photographic practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Clarence Hudson White was an American photographer, teacher and a founding member of the Photo-Secession movement.
