Study for Drapery of Pursuit of the Ideal”

Kenyon Cox, Study for Drapery of "Pursuit of the Ideal", 1891, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Ambrose Lansing, 1983.114.19
Copied Kenyon Cox, Study for Drapery of "Pursuit of the Ideal", 1891, oil on canvas, 18 1414 78 in. (46.437.8 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Ambrose Lansing, 1983.114.19
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Artwork Details

Title
Study for Drapery of Pursuit of the Ideal”
Artist
Date
1891
Dimensions
18 1414 78 in. (46.437.8 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Ambrose Lansing
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Dress
  • Study
Object Number
1983.114.19

Artwork Description

Kenyon Cox was known for his masterful execution of paintings and public murals. He meticulously planned every detail of a work and created several sketches and studies before its final execution. Study for Drapery of "Pursuit of the Ideal" illustrates one of the numerous steps in his artistic process. The white drapery covers the lower half of a barely sketched woman. The dramatic folds in the fabric help show the contours of the figure, for which Cox would have created separate studies. The final painting of Pursuit of the Ideal was part of United States' fine arts exhibit at the Paris Exposition in 1900.