Artwork Details
Artist
Creation Date
Materials
Object Types
Dimensions
31 x 25 in. (canvas) 39 x 32 in. (framed)
Mark Description
signed Robert Henri, lower right. Also inscribed verso, and numbered 13 i
Accession Number
Credit Line
Gift of John J. Weldon in memory of his wife, Jean Dinwiddie Weldon
Copyright
Collection
American Painting and Sculpture 1800-1945
Color Palette
Provenance
The Estate of Robert Henri; (Chapellier Galleries, New York, New York, exclusive representative since 1963 of the Henri Estate, 1972); John J. Weldon and Jean Dinwiddie Weldon, Chilmark, Massachusetts, December 1972; given to Indianapolis Museum of Art, in 1981 (81.795).
Gallery Labels
• This portrait depicts Biddy Commons, the wife of a fisherman on Ireland’s Achill Island. With swift dexterity, the artist captures her rosy complexion and kind eyes. Henri conveys the spirit of his subjects through energetic brushwork in the manner of the Old Masters.
• Demonstrating his fondness for the couple, Henri executed two portraits of Biddy and three portraits of her husband, Johnnie.
• From 1913 until 1928, Henri summered on Achill Island with his second wife, Marjorie, a native of Ireland. The painter, who derived inspiration from the local residents and windswept landscape, purchased an estate there in 1924.
Exhibition History
Exhibition Name
Venue
Dates
From New York to Corrymore: Robert Henri and Ireland
Everson Museum of Art
February 11, 2012 - May 12, 2012
From New York to Corrymore: Robert Henri and Ireland
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
September 23, 2011 - January 15, 2012
From New York to Corrymore: Robert Henri and Ireland
Mint Museum of Art
May 7, 2011 - August 7, 2011
Indianapolis Museum of Art
July 2, 1989 - August 20, 1989
Chapellier Galleries, Inc. Exhibition
Chapellier Galleries
October 15, 1976 - November 30, 1976
Memorial Exhibition
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1931 - 1931
Knoedler's New York Exhibition
Knoedler & Company
1914 - 1914
More from the Collection
Content Disclaimer and Usage Rights
Metadata about the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection comes from Newfields’ records and research. In some cases, information may be incomplete and research is ongoing. Newfields’ goal is to have as up-to-date metadata as possible, therefore, this information is subject to change. Newfields collections’ metadata is available under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) waiver, which allows for re-use without legal restrictions.
Artworks that appear in the image file(s) above may be in copyright or have other legal and/or cultural restrictions to their use. For clarity, Newfields does not claim copyright to the image files created by Newfields of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Newfields makes every effort to ascertain the copyright status of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Please refer to the RightsStatements.org statement above for information about the current copyright status of the artwork. Additionally, some artworks may include Local Context’s Notices or Labels that attribute cultural authority of the artwork’s heritage and data.
Additional information about Newfields’ reproduction guidelines can be found in the Licensing Resources.
4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA 46208-3326 | 317-923-1331
Copyright © 2024 Newfields. All rights reserved.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [MA-251861-OMS-22].