Artwork
Mrs. Howard Cushing (Ethel Cochrane) (The Mandarin Coat)
Mrs. Howard Cushing (Ethel Cochrane) (The Mandarin Coat) is an oil painting by Howard Cushing. It dates from 1904 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Howard Gardiner Cushing’s 1904 oil portrait, titled Mrs.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Howard Cushing, shown wearing what gives the work its alternate name, The Mandarin Coat.
The portrait depicts Ethel Cochrane Cushing, identified in the title as Mrs. Howard Cushing, shown wearing what gives the work its alternate name, The Mandarin Coat. The painting presents her as the central figure, rendered as a woman with red hair. Surrounding visual elements include an orange, a ring, and the distinctive coat itself, each functioning as attributes that personalize the sitter rather than as conventional allegorical symbols.
The Mandarin Coat in the title signals the painting's most prominent iconographic feature: an elaborately styled garment that anchors the composition and lends the work its nickname. Combined with the sitter's red hair and the carefully observed accessories, these elements construct a portrait focused on characterizing Ethel Cushing as an individual rather than on broader symbolic narrative.
Technique & Style
Howard Gardiner Cushing executed Mrs. Howard Cushing (Ethel Cochrane), also known as The Mandarin Coat, in 1904 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The portrait depicts the sitter, Ethel Cushing, characterized by her red hair and the distinctive orange coat that defines the work's title. The composition measures 101.28 cm in height and 76.83 cm in width.
As a formal portrait, the painting focuses on the subject's attire and physical presence, capturing specific details such as a ring worn by the sitter. The work is currently held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
History & Provenance
Howard Gardiner Cushing executed the oil-on-canvas portrait titled Mrs. Howard Cushing (Ethel Cochrane) (The Mandarin Coat) in 1904. The work depicts Ethel Cushing, the artist's wife, characterized by her red hair and distinctive orange coat. It is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
While the specific circumstances of its commission or intermediate ownership history are not detailed in the available records, the work is established as part of the museum's holdings.
Overview
Howard Gardiner Cushing’s 1904 oil portrait, titled Mrs. Howard Cushing (Ethel Cochrane) (The Mandarin Coat), is part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s collection. The work presents Ethel Cochrane seated indoors, her posture relaxed as she leans an arm on a chair’s back. A muted figure occupies the shadowed space behind her, while a small red canvas hangs on the wall to her right.
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