Man with the Cat (Henry Sturgis Drinker)

Object Details

Artist

Cecilia Beaux, born Philadelphia, PA 1855-died Gloucester, MA 1942

Sitter

Henry Sturgis Drinker

Gallery Label

Cecilia Beaux's portrait of Henry Sturgis Drinker is an interesting pairing of artist and sitter. Drinker was Beaux's brother-in-law, a railroad executive who later became president of Lehigh University. In the 1890s, men such as Drinker were at the pinnacle of East Coast society, and their tastes shaped public life for decades. Beaux was a fiercely independent woman who lived well, kept handsome lovers, and had a will of iron. At a time when few women could, she carved out a career for herself as a portraitist, and was thought to rival John Singer Sargent. Drinker's mutton-chop whiskers, linen suit, and casual pose convey immense self-assurance, but his steady, almost wary gaze suggests that he recognized in the artist a personality as strong as his own.

Exhibition Label, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2006

Credit Line

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Henry Ward Ranger through the National Academy of Design

1898

Object number

1952.10.1

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Painting

Medium

oil on canvas

Dimensions

48 x 34 5/8 in. (121.9 x 87.8 cm.)

See more items in

Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection

Department

Painting and Sculpture

On View

Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2nd Floor, East Wing

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Topic

Animal\cat

Occupation\education

Occupation\industry\railroad

Architecture Interior\domestic

Portrait male\Knee length

Record ID

saam_1952.10.1

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk76533e151-dc0c-4af6-a88d-ffad050da0ad