Artwork
Sweet Tremulous Leaves
Sweet Tremulous Leaves is an oil painting by the Art Nouveau artist Arthur B. Davies. It dates from 1922 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: A.B. DAVIES
About this work
Technique & Style
The handling privileges fluid transitions over linear definition, aligning with Davies’s Symbolist-inflected style.
Executed in oil on canvas in 1922, the work measures 77.2 cm in height by 46.4 cm in width. Its composition employs a muted, tremulous palette to convey delicate foliage and atmospheric space, with softly blended brushwork that dissolves edges into an almost vaporous effect. The handling privileges fluid transitions over linear definition, aligning with Davies’s Symbolist-inflected style. No specific condition notes are provided in the cited sources.
History & Provenance
The work was commissioned and executed by Arthur B. Davies in 1922. It was first sold through Ferargil Galleries in New York, which purchased it directly from the artist. On 8 January 1927, the painting was acquired by Chester Dale, who later bequeathed it to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1963.
Sweet Tremulous Leaves is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The work entered the museum's holdings through the bequest of Chester Dale in 1963. Dale originally acquired the painting from Ferargil Galleries in New York on January 8, 1927, having purchased it directly from the artist, Arthur B. Davies.
The provided sources do not contain specific accession numbers or a record of exhibitions for this painting. While the work was created in 1922, the available documentation focuses on its provenance from the artist to Ferargil Galleries, then to Dale, and finally to the National Gallery of Art.
Legacy
Arthur B. Davies' 1922 oil on canvas Sweet Tremulous Leaves entered the National Gallery of Art through Chester Dale's 1963 bequest, establishing its enduring presence in a major American collection. The work's significance is underscored by its inclusion in the National Gallery of Art's permanent holdings, reflecting its recognized place within the broader narrative of early 20th-century American painting. Its acquisition history, from Ferargil Galleries to Dale's bequest, contributes to its documented provenance and institutional validation.
Overview
Created in 1922, Sweet Tremulous Leaves is an oil on canvas by American painter Arthur B. Davies. The work belongs to the Art Nouveau idiom, employing the movement’s signature sinuous lines and organic motifs. It presents a lyrical scene that merges figure and landscape in a unified visual rhythm.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features two nude women positioned amid a wooded setting. The figure on the left lifts her arms overhead, while the one on the right bends her elbows, bringing her hands close to her face. Both turn toward the right, their poses suggesting a gentle, flowing motion that echoes the surrounding foliage.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Arthur Bowen Davies (September 26, 1862 – October 24, 1928) was an avant-garde American artist and influential advocate of modern art in the United States c. 1910–1928.
