Woman in Red Blouse with Tulips

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

The unnamed sitter of Woman in a Red Blouse with Tulips sits in a room furnished with yellow curtains, a purplish floral carpet, and a bouquet of tulips on a side table. She gazes toward the viewer through luridly shaded eyes. In composing this scene, Glackens was inspired by the patterned background, translucent brushstrokes, and exposed canvas in a portrait by Cézanne of his wife (c. 1886, purchased by Albert Barnes in 1912 and now at the Detroit Institute of Arts). In addition, Glackens adapted the flat and primarily decorative passages of bright colors from paintings by Matisse. Glackens's borrowing from French modernist prototypes highlights his efforts to modernize American painting, a mission also championed by his friend Dr. Barnes.

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