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Edward August Bell

The Statuette, 1912

oil on board

18 ½ x 12 in.

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Mallinson

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Edward August Bell was born in New York and studied art with his father then took classes with William Merritt Chase and Walter Shirlaw at the Art Students League. He often painted pieces that were compared to his teacher Chase.  In the 1890s Bell began painting idealized leisure class women using a soft palette of colors.  Drawing inspiration from Chase and James Abbott McNeil Whistler, he often added Japanese motifs to his figure studies.

The Statuette exemplifies Bell’s figure studies in its portrayal of a seated elegant woman contemplating a small statue. Dressed in a long gown comprised of soft colors and sheer fabric, the woman occupies a sparsely furnished room almost devoid of decoration.  This simplified composition is reminiscent of the scenes of court ladies in Japanese painting. 

Reference

William H. Gerdts.  Art Across America, Volume I, New York: Abbeville Press Publishers, 1990. ISBN 0896600939