Artwork
Mrs. Winthrop W. Aldrich (Harriet Alexander, 1888–1972)
Mrs. Winthrop W. Aldrich (Harriet Alexander, 1888–1972) is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Joaquín Sorolla. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work functions as a conventional portrait, emphasizing the sitter’s poise and attire to convey social status.
The painting titled Mrs. Winthrop W. Aldrich (Harriet Alexander, 1888–1972) is a 1909 oil on canvas portrait by Joaquín Sorolla. It depicts a single woman identified as Harriet Alexander, who later became known as Mrs. Winthrop W. Aldrich, a prominent figure in early‑20th‑century American social circles. The work functions as a conventional portrait, emphasizing the sitter’s poise and attire to convey social status.
Held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the piece measures 101.6 × 77.2 cm and exemplifies Sorolla’s skill in rendering realistic likenesses with loose brushwork.
Technique & Style
Mrs. Winthrop W. Aldrich is an oil painting on canvas created in 1909 by Joaquín Sorolla. The work measures 101.6 cm in height and 77.2 cm in width, as recorded in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s catalogue. Executed in oil paint, the piece exemplifies the portrait genre and is classified as a painting.
The support consists of a canvas substrate, a common medium for Sorolla’s portraiture, and the composition presents a seated female sitter rendered with the artist’s characteristic attention to light and texture. The painting is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Mrs. Winthrop W. Aldrich was executed by Joaquín Sorolla in 1909, as recorded in the work’s catalogue entry and confirmed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s documentation. It was commissioned by the sitter herself, Harriet Alexander Aldrich, and painted in Sorolla’s studio that year. The painting, an oil on canvas measuring 101.6 × 77.2 cm, remained in the family’s possession until it was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been part of the collection since its acquisition. The work’s creation is dated to 1909, aligning with the artist’s known output during that period.
Joaquín Sorolla's 1909 oil-on-canvas portrait, Mrs. Winthrop W. Aldrich (Harriet Alexander, 1888–1972), is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work, measuring 101.6 cm in height and 77.2 cm in width, was created in 1909. While the specific accession number is not provided in the available records, the painting is cataloged within the museum's holdings as a significant portrait by the Spanish artist.
The source material does not detail a specific exhibition history or prior provenance chain for this piece, only confirming its current institutional location and physical attributes.
Overview
Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida painted this oil portrait in 1909, depicting Harriet Alexander, a notable American socialite and philanthropist. The work exemplifies Sorolla's characteristic approach to portraiture, capturing the subject with a refined elegance. It is currently part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, representing a significant piece within the artist's oeuvre and the broader context of early 20th-century portraiture.
Context
While Joaquín Sorolla is widely recognized for his vibrant canvases bathed in the intense light of the Spanish sun, this portrait demonstrates his versatility within the genre. Mrs. Winthrop W. Aldrich showcases his ability to adapt his keen observation of light and form to a more subdued, formal setting, yet it retains the directness and psychological insight characteristic of his broader body of work.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (27 February 1863 – 10 August 1923) was a Spanish painter.
Portrait of Mrs. W.R.
María de los Ángeles Beruete y Moret condesa viuda de Muguiro
Mrs. George Swinton (Elizabeth Ebsworth)
Mrs. Hugh Hammersley
Elsie Woodbury Brown
Mary Crowninshield Endicott Chamberlain (Mrs. Joseph Chamberlain)
Mrs. George Swinton (Elizabeth Ebsworth)
Portrait of Cecilia Tower
Ada Rehan
Emily Post