Agnes Meyer
Social Media Share Tools
Object Details
- Artist
- Marius de Zayas, 1880 - 1961
- Sitter
- Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer, 02 Jan 1887 - 01 Sep 1970
- Exhibition Label
- An interview with the art impresario Alfred Stieglitz piqued Agnes Ernst Meyer’s interest in European modernism and prompted her to leave her job at the New York Sun, where she had served as the newspaper’s first female reporter. She traveled to Paris in 1908 to study the latest art trends, and upon her return to New York City sixteen months later, she became a member of Stieglitz’s modernist circle, which also included the artist Marius de Zayas.
- Meyer worked with de Zayas to establish the Modern Gallery and the avant-garde arts journal 291, named after Stieglitz’s renowned gallery. She also encouraged de Zayas to experiment with abstract portraiture, which was inspired by the Cubist break with optical reality. In this depiction, oval forms suggest Meyer’s facial features, while curving lines allude to her body. De Zayas often portrayed Stieglitz and members of his circle, including painter John Marin and photographer Paul Haviland.
- Una entrevista con el promotor de arte Alfred Stieglitz despertó el interés de Agnes Ernst Meyer en el arte moderno europeo y la impulsó a dejar su puesto en el New York Sun, donde había sido la primera mujer reportera. Viajó a París en 1908 para estudiar las últimas tendencias artísticas, y al regresar a Nueva York 16 meses después se incorporó al círculo moderno de Stieglitz, donde participaba el artista Marius de Zayas.
- Meyer colaboró con De Zayas en la creacíon de la Modern Gallery y la revista de vanguardia 291, cuyo nombre aludía a la famosa galería de Stieglitz. Meyer también alentó a De Zayas a experimentar con el retrato abstracto, inspirado en la ruptura de la realidad óptica efectuada por los cubistas. Las formas ovaladas de esta obra sugieren las facciones de Meyer, mientras las líneas curvas sugieren su cuerpo. De Zayas retrataba con frecuencia a Stieglitz y su círculo, incluidos el pintor John Marin y el fotógrafo Paul Haviland.
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Anne Meyer
- c. 1912-13
- Object number
- NPG.99.98
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Copyright
- © Estate of Marius De Zayas
- Type
- Drawing
- Medium
- Charcoal over graphite on yellow paper
- Dimensions
- Image: 60.8 × 39.4 cm (23 15/16 × 15 1/2")
- Sheet: 61.8 × 47 cm (24 5/16 × 18 1/2")
- Frame: 84.5 × 64.8 × 5.1 cm (33 1/4 × 25 1/2 × 2")
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- Location
- Currently not on view
- National Portrait Gallery
- Topic
- Caricature
- Abstract
- Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer: Female
- Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Social reformer
- Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer: Journalism and Media\Journalist
- Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist\Patron of the arts
- Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer: Journalism and Media\Journalist\Reporter
- Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist
- Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Activist\Political activist
- Portrait
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.99.98
- Metadata Usage (text)
- Usage conditions apply
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4622d96e0-c516-4262-a357-775d23679bbb
Related Content
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.