Portrait of a Young Woman

 
Portrait of a Young Woman
Image Rights & Reproductions Requirements
Artist
Creation date
Materials
oil on canvas
Dimensions
39 1/2 x 23 1/2 in. 45 x 30 in. (framed)
Credit line
Gift of the Sons of J. Ottis Adams
Accession number
71.218.9
Collection
American
Not Currently On View

The portrait is an essay in subtle earth tones accented by the woman’s long dangling earring.

The simple flourish that suggests the figure’s right hand demonstrates Bell’s adept brushwork.

This figure study exemplifies Bell’s early work and Munich School training.

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Edward August Bell and the Munich School Style

In 1883, Edward August Bell took his first trip abroad and enrolled at the Royal Academy in Munich as a student of the realist painter Ludvig von Loefftz. During his stay in Munich, Bell participated in a number of important exhibitions, including several at the Royal Academy. In 1889, Bell exhibited Lady in Gray at the Paris Exposition, which brought him international attention and an award. The painting portrayed a standing woman in a long gown against a softly patterned background. This style of painting would be used often in Bell’s portraits of women from this period. During his lifetime, Bell received great recognition for his work and exhibited at numerous international expositions.

Portrait of a Young Woman is an essay in subtle earth tones accented by the woman’s long dangling earrings. The simple flourish that suggests the figure’s right hand demonstrates Bell’s adept brushwork. The painting exemplifies Bell’s work from his Munich School training and follows the format established in his award-winning Lady in Gray.

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