The Garland

Object Details

• Artist

  Thomas Wilmer Dewing (1851-1938)

• Label

  After the turn of the century, Dewing developed a theme he would render in endless variations: a woman alone in a quiet, uncluttered room. Like James McNeill Whistler, Dewing selected a color scheme for each painting and carefully arranged the elements of the composition to create a contemplative mood. To emphasize the formal qualities of the paintings, he gave them titles that refer to aesthetic props in the pictures--like the tiny floral wreath the model holds here--as often as to the figures, who might otherwise be considered the subject. The model depicted here is Gertrude McNeill, who gave up modeling in 1917 for a career in Hollywood as a silent film star.

• Provenance

  From 1916 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Thomas Wilmer Dewing in 1916 [1]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] Purchased from T.W. Dewing in July 1916 (see Curatorial Remark 3, Linda Merrill, March 29, 1993, in the object record.)

  [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

  Dewing’s Poetic World (November 27, 2019 to May 29, 2022)

  A Perfect Harmony (October 14, 2017 to October 8, 2023)

  Surface Beauty: American Art and Freer's Aesthetic Vision (February 23, 2008 to August 1, 2010)

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

  American Art - Thomas Wilmer Dewing (May 9, 1993 to February 20, 1996)

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

  American Paintings: Thomas Wilmer Dewing (December 11, 1976 to April 16, 1977)

  American Paintings (April 15, 1975 to December 5, 1975)

  American Paintings (September 8, 1961 to May 2, 1973)

  Untitled Exhibition, American Oil Paintings, 1958 (June 29, 1958 to October 27, 1959)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 8 and 9 (February 25, 1956 to April 28, 1958)

  Special Dewing Centennial Exhibition (May 17, 1951 to July 1, 1951)

  Untitled Exhibition, American Oil Paintings, 1944 (March 23, 1944 to November 15, 1944)

  Untitled Exhibition, American Oil Paintings (May 1, 1933 to February 6, 1944)

  American Paintings by Dewing, Sargeant, Homer, Tryon, Brush, Melchers and Whistler (March 23, 1925 to May 5, 1933)

  American Paintings, T.W. Dewing (May 2, 1923 to March 23, 1925)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Thomas Wilmer Dewing (1851-1938) (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

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1920s, 1910s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Dewing, Thomas Wilmer

• Place

  United States

• Topic

  Design, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, American Art, Models (representations), Interior decoration, Woman

• Culture

  Americans

• Object Type

  Paintings