Artwork
Young Woman in White
Young Woman in White is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Robert Henri. It dates from 1904 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: Robert Henri; upper left reverse: 19 / C; on both left and right tacking margins: STEIN PROFILE
About this work
Technique & Style
The medium consists of traditional oil pigments applied to a woven canvas support, a standard combination for Henri's oeuvre during this period.
Executed in 1904, Young Woman in White is an oil painting on canvas by Robert Henri. The work functions as a portrait and measures approximately 198.8 cm in height by 96.8 cm in width. While specific details regarding the artist's brushwork, surface condition, or distinct stylistic handling are not provided in the available records, the piece is formally classified within the genre of portraiture.
The medium consists of traditional oil pigments applied to a woven canvas support, a standard combination for Henri's oeuvre during this period. The substantial vertical dimensions suggest a life-scale or near life-scale representation of the sitter, emphasizing the figure's presence within the composition.
History & Provenance
The painting Young Woman in White was executed by Robert Henri in 1904 as an oil on canvas portrait. Following Henri’s death in 1929, the work passed to his wife, Marjorie Organ Henri, and after her death to her sister, Violet Organ, who possessed it in New York by 1937. The canvas was later loaned for exhibition that year before being given as a gift to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1949.
Young Woman in White is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The work entered the museum's holdings in 1949 as a gift from Violet Organ, the sister-in-law of the artist Robert Henri. Prior to this donation, the painting remained within the Henri family, passing from the artist to his wife, Marjorie Organ Henri, and subsequently to her estate. By 1937, the piece was in Violet Organ's possession and was lent by her for an exhibition in New York.
Earlier records indicate the work was sometimes attributed to the estate of Mr. and Mrs. Henri before Violet Organ's ownership was explicitly documented in the 1937 exhibition catalogue.
Overview
Robert Henri's Young Woman in White, painted in 1904, is an oil on canvas portrait. This work captures a woman dressed in a white gown and hat, depicted standing and gazing to her left. The painting exemplifies Henri's approach to portraiture during a period when he was actively challenging conventional academic art in America, even as he engaged with contemporary artistic currents.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a lone female figure, distinguished by her attire. She wears a white dress with a ruffled hem, complemented by a white hat adorned with lace. Her posture is upright, and her gaze is directed away from the viewer, imparting a sense of quiet introspection or observation. The dark, unadorned background serves to emphasize the luminosity of her white garments and the figure herself.
Context
Born in 1865, American painter Robert Henri received his artistic training in Paris, where he absorbed various European influences. Upon his return, he became a pivotal figure in American art, advocating for a more direct and realistic depiction of contemporary life. He famously led a revolt against the conservative academic art establishment and was a co-founder of the Ashcan School, which focused on urban subjects and an unvarnished portrayal of reality.
Artist & collection
Artist
Robert Henri (; June 24, 1865 – July 12, 1929) was an American painter and teacher.
