Young Girl (The Presumed Portrait of Little Gretchen)
about 1887-1889
29.93
Not currently on view
Artwork Details
Artist
Creation Date
Materials
Object Types
Dimensions
28-1/4 x 23 in. (canvas) 34-1/4 x 28-3/4 x 2-1/2 in. (framed)
Accession Number
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Samuel Richards
Copyright
Collection
American Painting and Sculpture 1800-1945
Color Palette
Gallery Labels
- Faces ravaged by time and labor abound in the students’ sketchbooks at the Munich Academy. However, this figure study depicts a young girl, long-identified as the artist’s daughter Gretchen. Tailoring his style to the youthful sitter, Richards softened his dark palette with the addition of a pink scarf to her costume.
- The girl’s rigid, formal pose and carefully recorded features attest to the influence of local artist Wilhelm Leibl, who was active in Munich and the recognized leader in German realism.
- Richards’s preference for figure painting, as well as his refusal to reestablish residency in Indiana, set him apart from his Hoosier colleagues. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 40 in Denver.
Exhibition History
Exhibition Name
Venue
Dates
Indianapolis Museum of Art Columbus Gallery
July 17, 1999 - September 26, 1999
Indianapolis Museum of Art
September 13, 1997 - October 4, 1998
Indianapolis Museum of Art
November 24, 1991 - February 2, 1992
Landesmuseum
February 24, 1991 - May 19, 1991
Wallraf-Richartz Museum & Fondation Corboud
November 14, 1990 - January 27, 1991
John Herron Art Institute and Museum
October 4, 1966 - November 13, 1966
Long Term Loan to Spink Wawasee Hotel
Spink-Wawasee Hotel Corporation
May 25, 1935 - 1935
Long-term Loan to Indianapolis Public Schools
Indianapolis Public Schools
February 29, 1960 - Date Unknown
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