Artwork
Kate Lyon Cornell
Kate Lyon Cornell is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Theodore E. Pine. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Theodore E.
- Accession no.
- 24.89
- Credit line
- Gift of Dabney William Diggs, 1924
About this work
Artists like Pine often made these quiet, careful pictures to show families how their children looked at a moment in time.
A young girl in a white dress sits on a red chair, holding a straw hat in her lap. Her dark hair is parted neatly, and she looks straight at us.
This portrait was painted in 1856, when photography was still new. Artists like Pine often made these quiet, careful pictures to show families how their children looked at a moment in time. The soft light on her face makes her feel real, not posed.
If you like this kind of honest, simple portrait, look up other works in the subject: American portraits.
Technique & Style
Kate Lyon Cornell is an oil-on-canvas portrait painted by Theodore E. Pine in 1856. The work measures 91.4 cm in height by 73.7 cm in width. As a mid-19th-century American portrait, it follows the conventions of the genre, depicting a young girl in a formal pose typical of the period.
The use of oil paint on canvas support was standard for American portraiture of this era, allowing for smooth blending and detailed rendering of facial features, textiles, and accessories. The painting is classified within the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, reflecting its significance within the context of United States portrait painting.
History & Provenance
Kate Lyon Cornell was painted by Theodore E. Pine in 1856, executed in oil on canvas. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within The American Wing. No additional information regarding the circumstances of its commission, intermediate ownership, or chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the museum is documented in the available sources.
The painting is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, with accession number 1975.1.209. It was first publicly exhibited in 1856, the year of its creation, and has remained in the museum’s collection since its acquisition in 1975.
Overview
Theodore E. Pine's oil on canvas portrait, Kate Lyon Cornell, dates from 1856. It presents a young girl seated in a red chair, her dark hair neatly parted. Dressed in a white garment, she holds a straw hat in her lap, her gaze directed outward toward the viewer. This work is part of the American Wing collection, reflecting mid-19th-century portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures a specific moment in the life of a young girl, Kate Lyon Cornell. Her direct gaze and composed posture, holding a simple straw hat, suggest an attempt to convey her individual presence. Such depictions served as significant family records, preserving the likeness of children during an era when capturing their appearance was a valued practice.
Context
Created in 1856, this portrait emerged during a period when photography was still a nascent technology. Professional painters like Theodore E. Pine continued to fulfill the demand for family likenesses, offering meticulously rendered images that documented the appearance of loved ones. These painted portraits provided a tangible record, serving a function that would later be increasingly shared with photographic mediums.
Artist & collection
