Artwork
Portrait of a Girl and Her Dog in a Grape Arbor
Portrait of a Girl and Her Dog in a Grape Arbor is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Susan Waters. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Created in 1857, this oil painting portrays a young girl and her dog seated beneath a grape‑laden arbor.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1857, this oil painting portrays a young girl and her dog seated beneath a grape‑laden arbor. The figures are rendered with a straightforward realism characteristic of American folk art, and the work is part of the collection at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a girl in a dark, off‑shoulder dress with white trim, her short brown hair framing a serious expression as she gently strokes a brown dog with a white chest. The surrounding garden, complete with vines heavy with grapes, suggests a tranquil domestic setting.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the artist employs a direct, unembellished approach typical of self‑taught folk painters. The figures are outlined with clear contours, while the background features simplified foliage and architectural elements, emphasizing narrative over illusionistic depth.
Context
Susan Catherine Moore Waters, an itinerant self‑taught painter active in New York, Pennsylvania, and later Bordentown, New Jersey, produced portraits and animal scenes to support herself. Her work reflects the mid‑19th‑century American folk tradition, where practical skill and personal observation guided artistic production.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the collection of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where it remains on display as an example of mid‑19th‑century folk portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Susan Catherine Moore Waters (May 18, 1823 – July 7, 1900) was an American painter.
Museum
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
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