Diana

Object Details

• Artist

  Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849-1921)

• Label

  Thayer originally painted his model, Clara May, in a green velvet dress, but he changed her garment to a Greek chiton. By linking the picture to the past, he elevated the "reality" of an American girl to the "ideal" of a timeless classical sculpture.

• Provenance

  From 1906 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Abbott Handerson Thayer in the spring of 1906 [1]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Object file.

  [2] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Pretty Women: Freer and the Ideal of Feminine Beauty (August 13, 2005 to September 17, 2006)

  American Art - Abbott Handerson Thayer (May 9, 1996 to June 30, 1997)

  American Painting: To Dream of Fair Women (September 24, 1982 to February 29, 1984)

  American Paintings (March 20, 1981 to September 24, 1981)

  Special Centennial Exhibition of Thayer Paintings (August 12, 1949 to January 3, 1950)

  American Paintings by Metcalf, Thayer, and Twatchman (March 23, 1925 to May 5, 1933)

  Exhibition of Paintings by Abbott H. Thayer (April 24 to May 28, 1919)

  A Selection of Art Objects from the Freer Collection Exhibited in the New Building of the National Museum (April 15 to June 15, 1912)

  Untitled, Natural History Building, 1912 (1912)

  Fourth Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings by American Artists (May 10, 1909 to August 30, 1909)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849-1921) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  United States

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1890s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Thayer, Abbott Handerson

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, American Art, Portraits

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Paintings