Artwork
Marie Samary of the Odéon Theater
Marie Samary of the Odéon Theater is an oil painting by the Naturalist artist Jules Bastien-Lepage. It is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Marie Samary, a celebrated actress associated with the Odéon Theater, presented as the singular main subject of the work.
The painting depicts Marie Samary, a celebrated actress associated with the Odéon Theater, presented as the singular main subject of the work. Created by Jules Bastien-Lepage in 1881, the piece functions as a formal portrait that captures the individual rather than illustrating a specific narrative scene or allegorical event. As a genre work classified strictly as a portrait, the image focuses on the likeness and presence of the sitter, with no external iconography or symbolic elements noted in the available records.
The representation serves to document the figure of Samary, emphasizing her identity as a performer in the French theatrical world of the late nineteenth century.
Technique & Style
Jules Bastien-Lepage executed Marie Samary of the Odéon Theater in oil on canvas in 1881. The painting measures 52.0 by 44.8 centimeters, a modest scale that suggests an intimate, closely observed portrait. Working in oil paint, Bastien-Lepage employed the medium to achieve the detailed naturalism for which he was renowned.
The work's formal qualities align with late-19th-century French portraiture, combining academic precision with the psychological immediacy characteristic of Bastien-Lepage's approach to depicting contemporary subjects. The canvas support and oil technique allowed for subtle tonal gradations and a lifelike rendering of the sitter, Marie Samary, an actress at the Odéon Theater.
History & Provenance
The portrait Marie Samary of the Odéon Theater was painted by Jules Bastien-Lepage in 1881, as indicated by the work’s inception date and the artist’s active period. The painting depicts the French actress Marie Samary, known for her performances at the Odéon Theater. By 2010, the painting entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is currently held. The work is catalogued as an oil-on-canvas portrait, consistent with Bastien-Lepage’s genre and technique during this period.
The portrait Marie Samary of the Odéon Theater by Jules Bastien-Lepage is held in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio. The painting, executed in oil on canvas in 1881, carries the museum's accession number 2010.25. Prior to its acquisition by the institution, the work was owned by Muriel Butkin.
The artwork depicts the actress Marie Samary and was created in France. While the source material confirms the current location and specific inventory number, it does not provide a detailed chronology of past exhibitions or loan history for the piece.
Overview
Artist Jules Bastien-Lepage painted Marie Samary of the Odéon Theater in 1891. This oil portrait captures the actress Marie Samary, reflecting the artist's association with the Naturalist movement. The work exemplifies a commitment to depicting subjects with a sense of observed reality, a hallmark of Naturalism. It is currently housed in the collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Context
Jules Bastien-Lepage was a significant figure in the Naturalist movement, known for his commitment to depicting everyday life, often featuring rural subjects painted outdoors (en plein air). His approach to art, emphasizing direct observation and an honest portrayal of reality, influenced artists beyond France. Marie Samary of the Odéon Theater demonstrates how these Naturalist tenets extended to portraiture, seeking an authentic representation of the sitter.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jules Bastien-Lepage (1 November 1848 – 10 December 1884) was a French painter closely associated with the beginning of Naturalism, an artistic style that grew out of the Realist movement and paved the way for the development of…
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Study of a female model in green drapery- Marie Samary of the Odéon Theater