Artwork
Georges de Miré
Georges de Miré is an oil painting by the Cubism Analytic artist Roger de La Fresnaye. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work serves as a direct visual record of the subject, Georges de Miré, without indicating additional layers of meaning beyond the act of portraiture itself.
Georges de Miré is the central subject of this 1910 oil portrait by Roger de La Fresnaye, depicting the sitter as a man seated in an armchair while wearing a hat. As a genre work classified strictly as a portrait, the painting focuses on the physical representation of the individual rather than overt allegorical symbolism or complex iconographic narratives. The composition captures the figure in a static, formal pose, emphasizing his attire and posture within the interior setting.
The work serves as a direct visual record of the subject, Georges de Miré, without indicating additional layers of meaning beyond the act of portraiture itself. The imagery is limited to the man, his clothing, and the furniture, presenting a straightforward depiction of the sitter as he appeared at the time of the painting's creation.
History & Provenance
Roger de La Fresnaye created the oil-on-canvas portrait titled Georges de Miré in 1910. The work depicts a man seated in an armchair wearing a hat. Its ownership history begins with René Gimpel, followed by the Toledo Museum of Art.
The painting subsequently passed through the hands of M. Knoedler & Co. and Walter Percy Chrysler Jr. before being acquired by E. & A. Silberman Galleries. The collection of Nathan Cummings also held the work at a later date. Currently, the painting is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The dimensions of the canvas measure 130.8 cm in height and 97.8 cm in width.
The painting titled Georges de Miré is an oil on canvas portrait measuring 130.8 cm by 97.8 cm, created in 1910. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its accession number is not listed in the available documentation.
Provenance recorded includes René Gimpel, the Toledo Museum of Art, M. Knoedler & Co., Walter Percy Chrysler Jr., E. & A. Silberman Galleries, and Nathan Cummings prior to museum acquisition. No exhibition history is documented in the sources consulted.
Context
Roger de La Fresnaye’s 1910 portrait Georges de Miré is documented as an oil on canvas portrait measuring 130.8 × 97.8 cm, depicting a seated man in a hat within an armchair. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art record, the work belongs to the museum’s collection and has passed through notable dealers and collectors, underscoring its significance in early twentieth‑century French art. Scholarship on de La Fresnaye’s output frequently cites this painting as a representative example of his portraiture, in which decorative motifs intersect with a structured compositional framework, situating the piece within the broader trajectory of French modernist portraiture.
Overview
Roger de La Fresnaye's oil painting, Georges de Miré, was completed in 1910. This portrait captures a seated male figure with a distinctive, expressive quality. The work is rendered in oil paint and is currently housed within the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It exemplifies the artist's early exploration of figuration through a bold, painterly approach.
Technique & Style
La Fresnaye utilized thick, uneven applications of oil paint, lending the portrait a tactile and almost sculptural surface. The background is characterized by broad, quickly applied strokes of browns, yellows, and grays, creating a sense of spontaneous energy. This vigorous handling of the medium, particularly noticeable in the clothing and chair, contributes to a vibrant, 'unfinished' aesthetic, showcasing a technique akin to impasto.
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