"Henry McBride on Winslow Homer," Florine Stettheimer, c. 1924.

Stettheimer (1871-1944) was many things (feminist, theatrical set designer, salonkeeper, all-around intellectual), but she was notably a Modernist painter with her own individual style.

In the 20s, some Modernists began to experiment with portraiture, going more for symbolism than just showing the person's face. Here, Stettheimer paints her friend, art critic Henry McBride, who was devoted to American art. Here he's incorporated into a painting by his favorite artist, Winslow Homer, and looking up at a miniature version of himself at the top of the tree, waving two American flags, indicating his devotion to art from the good ol' USA.

It's an amusing portrait that borders on caricature, but affectionately so, Perhaps a good painting for April Fool's Day?

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

#Art #Modernism #WomenArtists #Portraiture #Caricature #AprilFoolsDay