Artwork
A North Carolina Mountain Woman
A North Carolina Mountain Woman is an unspecified painting by the American Impressionist artist Lucy May Stanton. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
These iconographic choices, shawl and chair, serve to locate the sitter within a mountain setting, emphasizing her cultural and geographic identity.
The painting titled "A North Carolina Mountain Woman" portrays a solitary woman rendered as a portrait, identified through its subject matter and accompanying visual details. According to the work's description, the figure is depicted seated, wearing a shawl, and positioned beside a chair, elements that together signal a domestic, regional context. These iconographic choices, shawl and chair, serve to locate the sitter within a mountain setting, emphasizing her cultural and geographic identity.
The composition thus conveys the subject's role as a representative of Appalachian womanhood, using dress and furniture to symbolize both personal presence and broader environmental associations.
Technique & Style
A North Carolina Mountain Woman, executed in 1916 by Lucy May Stanton, is an oil painting classified as a portrait. The work depicts a seated woman accompanied by a chair and a shawl. Physically, the painting is a small-scale piece measuring 11.4 cm in height and 7 cm in width.
As a portrait genre work, the artist's handling focuses on the formal representation of the subject within these compact dimensions. The medium is paint applied to a support, resulting in the finished classification of a painting currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The formal qualities emphasize the intimate scale and the specific inclusion of domestic elements like the shawl and chair alongside the sitter.
History & Provenance
The painting A North Carolina Mountain Woman was created in 1916 by Lucy May Stanton, as confirmed by both internal documentation and the Metropolitan Museum of Art's records. The work is a portrait depicting a woman seated in a chair, draped in a shawl, and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its dimensions are recorded as 11.4 cm in height and 7 cm in width.
The provenance and ownership chain prior to its acquisition by the museum are not detailed in the provided sources, which confirm the institutional location but do not provide a specific accession number or details of prior exhibitions.
Overview
Lucy May Stanton, an American artist recognized for her miniature portraits, completed A North Carolina Mountain Woman in 1916. This painting, now held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies her engagement with American Impressionism. The artwork presents a seated woman, enveloped in a dark shawl, her gaze direct and composed. Its creation reflects Stanton's broader artistic practice during the early 20th century.
Context
While primarily recognized for her intricate portrait miniatures, Lucy May Stanton also produced larger-scale works such as this painting. Her engagement with the American Impressionist movement is evident in the artwork's visual qualities, reflecting a broader artistic trend in the United States during the early 20th century. This piece demonstrates her versatility beyond her more specialized practice.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Lucy May Stanton (May 22, 1875 – March 19, 1931) was an American painter. She made landscapes, still lifes, and portraits, but Stanton is best known for the portrait miniatures she painted. Her works are in the National…
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