Woman with Cockatoo

Peter Oliver Foss, Woman with Cockatoo, ca. 1895-1917, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.112
Copied Peter Oliver Foss, Woman with Cockatoo, ca. 1895-1917, oil on canvas, 28 1824 18 in. (71.361.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.112
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Artwork Details

Title
Woman with Cockatoo
Date
ca. 1895-1917
Dimensions
28 1824 18 in. (71.361.3 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Figure female
  • Animal — bird — parrot
  • Architecture Interior
Object Number
1986.65.112

Artwork Description

Peter Oliver Foss painted a woman in extravagant surroundings to evoke wealth and luxury, but the uncaged bird and spilled fruit suggest that she might want to break free of her constricted world. Rich tones of red and gold paint fill the canvas, highlighting the figure’s elaborate gown and the exotic splendor of her “gilded cage.”