Artwork
Catherine Brooks Hall
Catherine Brooks Hall is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Shepard Alonzo Mount. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1971.249
- Credit line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart P. Feld, 1971
About this work
Technique & Style
Classified within the genre of portraiture, the piece resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing.
Catherine Brooks Hall is executed in oil paint on a canvas support, a conventional medium for early 19th-century portraiture. Created in 1830 by Shepard Alonzo Mount, the work measures 86.4 cm in height and 68.6 cm in width. The painting functions as a formal portrait, depicting a woman holding a stylus, which informs the composition's focus on the sitter's intellectual or artistic pursuits.
Classified within the genre of portraiture, the piece resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing. The inclusion of the stylus as a depicted object suggests a deliberate stylistic choice to characterize the subject beyond mere physical likeness, integrating symbolic attributes into the standard portrait format.
History & Provenance
The painting Catherine Brooks Hall was executed in 1830 by Shepard Alonzo Mount as an oil on canvas portrait. Its dimensions are 86.4 cm by 68.6 cm, and it portrays a woman holding a stylus. The work is classified within The American Wing and is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. No documentation of a commissioning patron survives in the available records.
Legacy
The painting's inclusion in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art has cemented its status as an example of 19th-century American portraiture. As part of the Met's permanent collection, it is referenced in the museum's catalogue of American works. The work's creation date, dimensions, and institutional home are documented in the museum's holdings.
Overview
"Catherine Brooks Hall" is an oil on canvas portrait depicting a woman seated with a stylus. The artwork, part of The American Wing collection, presents a detailed study of its subject. The artist meticulously rendered her attire and coiffure, contributing to a sense of quiet dignity. The overall composition conveys a calm and contemplative atmosphere, inviting viewers to observe the sitter's composed demeanor.
Subject & Meaning
The painting centers on a woman in period attire, holding a stylus, suggesting an engagement with writing or drawing. Her expression is one of profound tranquility, with her gaze directed beyond the immediate frame. This distant focus imbues the portrait with a sense of introspection and stillness. The artist's portrayal emphasizes her composed presence, creating a quiet, contemplative mood that defines the work.
Context
The artistic approach seen in "Catherine Brooks Hall" shares characteristics with works by contemporaries such as Shepard Alonzo Mount. Examining Mount's oeuvre can offer further insight into the stylistic conventions and artistic trends prevalent during the period in which this portrait was created, particularly regarding portraiture and the rendering of detail and mood.
Artist & collection
Artist
Shepard Alonzo Mount (1804-1868) was a National Academy of Design-trained American artist during the mid-nineteenth century that painted favorable genres of realism during the time such as still-life and landscapes.
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