Who painted Mary Fanton Roberts?

Mary Fanton Roberts was painted by Robert Henri in 1917-01-01.

Where can I see Mary Fanton Roberts?

Mary Fanton Roberts is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Mary Fanton Roberts?

Mary Fanton Roberts is associated with Ashcan School.

Can I buy a print of Mary Fanton Roberts?

Museum-quality prints of Mary Fanton Roberts are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Mary Fanton Roberts

Robert Henri , 1917

Mary Fanton Roberts is an oil painting by the Ashcan School artist Robert Henri. It dates from 1917 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting is a portrait of Mary Fanton Roberts, depicted as a woman in a composition classified within the portrait genre.

The painting is a portrait of Mary Fanton Roberts, depicted as a woman in a composition classified within the portrait genre. According to the work's cataloguing, the main subject is Mary Fanton Roberts herself, identified as the sitter. Created by Robert Henri in 1917, the work functions as a formal painted likeness rather than a narrative or allegorical scene, focusing on the individual identity of the subject rather than symbolic attributes.

Technique & Style

The portrait of Mary Fanton Roberts, executed by Robert Henri in 1917, is an oil painting on canvas. It depicts the sitter as a woman and measures 81.3 cm in height and 66 cm in width. Classified within the genre of portraiture, the piece uses traditional oil paint applied to a canvas ground.

The artwork is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, its presentation focused on the sitter in keeping with the conventions of early twentieth-century portraiture.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Mary Fanton Roberts was created by Robert Henri in 1917. Executed as an oil painting on canvas, the work measures 81.3 cm in height and 66 cm in width and depicts the sitter as a woman within the portrait genre. Following its creation, the painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains.

The specific commission details and the precise chain of ownership prior to the museum's acquisition are not detailed in the available records, and no inventory number or exhibition history is disclosed.

Overview

Robert Henri's oil painting, Mary Fanton Roberts, created in 1917, is a portrait that exemplifies the artist's direct approach to representation. The work captures its subject with a serious gaze, reflecting Henri's commitment to unidealized realism. This painting is a notable example of early 20th-century portraiture and is housed within the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Context

As a prominent figure and teacher who studied in Paris, Robert Henri was instrumental in shaping the Ashcan School, an American art movement that emerged in the early 20th century. This group rejected the prevailing academic styles, instead advocating for a depiction of urban life and its inhabitants with an unidealized realism. Mary Fanton Roberts aligns with this artistic philosophy, presenting an honest and direct portrayal rather than an embellished one.