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Sunday Afternoon in the Country by Florine Stettheimer

Florine Stettheimer · 1917-01-01

Florine Stettheimer's "Sunday Afternoon in the Country," painted in 1917, is a vibrant oil on canvas held at The Cleveland Museum of Art. This painting offers a whimsical glimpse into the social life of a pioneering American modernist.

Stettheimer, a celebrated New York socialite and feminist, frequently depicted her inner circle and personal experiences with a theatrical flair. Look at the playful figures, the expressive brushwork, and the rich, impasto textures that give the painting a sculptural quality.

Remarkably, Stettheimer was one of only two women artists, alongside Georgia O'Keeffe, whose work was selected for the Museum of Modern Art's first American art exhibition sent to Europe in 1938. Her distinctive style, blending American Impressionism with a bold, expressive aesthetic, solidified her place in art history.

Stettheimer's work invites us to consider the joy and camaraderie of her world, captured through her unique, uninhibited vision. What do you notice first?

Details

She often painted her friends, family, and social life.
She often painted her friends, family, and social life.
Look closely at the woman in the pink dress, gazing upwards.
Look closely at the woman in the pink dress, gazing upwards.
She and Georgia O’Keeffe were the only women artists included.
She and Georgia O’Keeffe were the only women artists included.
Her unique, theatrical style brought American modernism to the world.
Her unique, theatrical style brought American modernism to the world.
Transcript

This painter was a modernist, a feminist, and a New York socialite. She often painted her friends, family, and social life. Look closely at the woman in the pink dress, gazing upwards. Her work was included in the first American art exhibition in Europe. She and Georgia O’Keeffe were the only women artists included. Her unique, theatrical style brought American modernism to the world.