Artwork
The Bone Player
The Bone Player is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist William Sidney Mount. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
By focusing on this simple prop, Mount invites viewers to consider the cultural significance of everyday objects in shaping personal and communal identity.
The Bone Player portrays a figure associated with bones, as indicated by the title and the work’s depiction of bones. Classified as a portrait and genre painting, the piece presents an everyday scene centered on the object of bones, highlighting a moment of personal engagement with them. The work therefore reflects a genre interest in quotidian activities and material culture of mid‑nineteenth‑century America.
By focusing on this simple prop, Mount invites viewers to consider the cultural significance of everyday objects in shaping personal and communal identity.
Technique & Style
William Sidney Mount executed The Bone Player in 1856 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work functions as a portrait within the genre art tradition, depicting a figure with bones. Physically, the painting measures approximately 91.76 cm in height and 73.98 cm in width.
The composition focuses on the specific subject matter indicated by its title, utilizing the artist's characteristic approach to portraiture from this period.
History & Provenance
The Bone Player was painted by William Sidney Mount in 1856, executed in oil on canvas. According to the work’s provenance, it entered the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, where it remains today. The sources do not record any earlier owners, a specific commission, or subsequent transfers; thus the known history of the artwork begins with its creation in 1856 and its present location at the MFA Boston.
Overview
The Bone Player is an 1856 oil painting by American genre painter William Sidney Mount, depicting a figure engaged with bone percussion instruments in a rural setting.
Context
Reflecting Mount's interest in music and daily life, the work aligns with 19th-century American genre painting's focus on portraying ordinary scenes and activities.
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Artist & collection
Artist
William Sidney Mount (November 26, 1807 – November 19, 1868) was a 19th-century American genre painter.
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