Portrait of a Woman

Description

Aman-Jean, a French Symbolist painter, was likely more concerned with evoking a wistful, meditative mood in this painting of an unidentified woman than with defining a specific personality or likeness. The restrained, tonal palette and flat, decorative shapes suggest the influence of Pierre Puvis de Chavannes and James McNeill Whistler. The postcard pinned to the wall may represent a work by Sandro Botticelli. Aman-Jean exhibited this painting at the Paris Salon of 1891.

Provenance

(Paris salon, 1891, no. 874 or 875, probably sold to a private collector) (1891); Possibly a private collector, probably sold to an Italian private collector. (Probably from 1891); Private collector, Italy, by descent to his family (After 1891); Family of an Italian collector, possibly consigned to Christie's (Before 1971); (Christie's, London, sale, July 9, 1971, lot 258, sold to Ferrers Gallery (1971); (Ferrers Gallery, London, probably sold to Cyril Humphris) (1971-1971/1972); (Cyril Humphris, London, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (Until 1972); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio (1972-)

Portrait of a Woman

Edmond François Aman-Jean

c. 1891

Accession Number

1972.120

Medium

oil on canvas

Dimensions

Framed: 113.4 x 117.8 x 8.3 cm (44 5/8 x 46 3/8 x 3 1/4 in.); Unframed: 84.4 x 89.5 cm (33 1/4 x 35 1/4 in.)

Classification

Painting

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund