Artwork
Girls Carrying a Canoe, Vaiala in Samoa
Girls Carrying a Canoe, Vaiala in Samoa is a watercolor work on paper by the American Impressionist artist John La Farge. It dates from 1891 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Together, these elements suggest the interplay of mobility and place in Samoan life during the late nineteenth century.
The watercolor depicts two Samoan girls carrying a small canoe on a path that runs beneath a large banyan tree, a motif frequently associated with shelter and communal gathering in Pacific imagery.
The canoe signals travel and connection, while the tree frames the scene with a sense of rootedness and shared space. Together, these elements suggest the interplay of mobility and place in Samoan life during the late nineteenth century.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1891, the work combines watercolor and gouache with graphite underdrawing on off-white wove paper, exploiting the luminosity of transparent washes and the opacity of body color to build up the foliage and water effects.
The composition centers on two figures carrying a canoe beneath a dense grove of trees, where rhythmic graphite strokes structure the dappled light falling through the canopy. Handling emphasizes wet-into-wet passages in the sky and water, contrasted with precise gouache highlights on the canoe and figures, while the paper’s weave remains visible in the lighter areas.
No evidence of structural damage or major losses is indicated; the sheet is intact with even margins and no evidence of later relining or conservation interventions.
History & Provenance
Girls Carrying a Canoe, Vaiala in Samoa was created by John La Farge in 1891, executed in watercolor, gouache, and graphite on off-white wove paper. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, classified within The American Wing. No additional details regarding commission, prior ownership, or chain of custody are documented in the available sources.
The painting's inception is recorded as 1891, with physical dimensions of 45.6 by 55.6 centimeters. Beyond its placement in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's holdings, the available records do not document intermediate owners, acquisition circumstances, or the circumstances of its creation.
The watercolor painting Girls Carrying a Canoe, Vaiala in Samoa by John La Farge is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created in 1891, the work is classified within the museum's American Wing. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the piece is documented as part of the institution's permanent holdings.
The artwork depicts a landscape scene featuring a boat and trees, consistent with La Farge's travel experiences in Samoa.
No specific exhibition history or loan records are detailed in the provided sources. The work remains part of the general collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is categorized under the artist's watercolor and gouache productions from the late 19th century.
Overview
Created in 1891, Girls Carrying a Canoe, Vaiala in Samoa is a watercolor, gouache, and graphite work on off‑white wove paper. The piece belongs to the American Wing collection and exemplifies the artist’s engagement with the emerging American Impressionist idiom, merging observational detail with a softened atmospheric effect.
Context
The drawing aligns with La Farge’s broader career, which included a patented method for layering glass in stained‑glass windows and prolific travel writing on Asian cultures. Its Pacific subject matter mirrors his fascination with exotic environments, a theme that recurs across his varied artistic and literary output.
Artist & collection
Artist
John La Farge (March 31, 1835 – November 14, 1910) was an American artist whose career spanned illustration, murals, interior design, painting, and popular books on his Asian travels and other art-related topics.
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