Artwork
Psyche
Psyche is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist William Sergeant Kendall. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1909 by William Sergeant Kendall, the oil-on-canvas piece merges the allegorical identity of Psyche with the likeness of the sitter.
The painting depicts the mythological figure Psyche, portrayed as a young girl. While the title identifies the subject as the classical character, the work also features a specific individual, Elisabeth Kendall Underwood, who serves as the model for this representation. Created in 1909 by William Sergeant Kendall, the oil-on-canvas piece merges the allegorical identity of Psyche with the likeness of the sitter.
The subject matter centers on this dual representation, presenting the mythological archetype through the specific form of the girl depicted. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1909, this work is an oil painting on canvas by William Sergeant Kendall. The piece measures 94.6 cm in height and 73.6 cm in width. As a formal portrait, it depicts a young girl identified as Elisabeth Kendall Underwood, who is represented in the guise of Psyche.
The classification of the object is strictly that of a painted work, utilizing traditional oil pigments applied to a woven fabric support. The composition focuses on the single figure, adhering to the conventions of early twentieth-century portraiture found within the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
History & Provenance
William Sergeant Kendall executed the oil painting Psyche in 1909. The work, which depicts Elisabeth Kendall Underwood, was created on canvas and measures approximately 94.6 by 73.6 centimeters. Since its inception, the painting has been held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it remains located.
No further details regarding a specific commission, intermediate ownership history, or acquisition date are provided in the available records.
William Sergeant Kendall's 1909 oil painting Psyche is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The artwork, which depicts a girl and Elisabeth Kendall Underwood, measures 94.6 by 73.6 centimeters. The provided sources do not document a specific inventory or accession number for the work, nor do they record its exhibition history.
Overview
William Sergeant Kendall's 1909 oil painting, Psyche, exemplifies aspects of American Impressionism. The work features the artist's daughter, Elisabeth Kendall Underwood, embodying the mythological figure of Psyche. Kendall, an American painter active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, frequently depicted his family, including his wife and three daughters, within intimate domestic scenes, making this portrayal consistent with his broader artistic practice.
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Artist & collection
Artist
William Sergeant Kendall (born 1869 in Spuyten Duyvil, New York, died 1938 in Hot Springs, Virginia), was an American painter, most famous for his evocative scenes of domestic life; his wife Margaret Stickney Kendall…
