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Man with the Cat (Henry Sturgis Drinker)

Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
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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

Related Content

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  • Open Access Highlights

This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
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