The Gardener

Jon Stroup, The Gardener, 1979, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1985.30.62
Copied Jon Stroup, The Gardener, 1979, oil on canvas, 39 7⁄8 x 40 1⁄8 in. (101.3 x 101.9 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1985.30.62

Artwork Details

Title
The Gardener
Artist
Date
1979
Location
Dimensions
39 7⁄8 x 40 1⁄8 in. (101.3 x 101.9 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Architecture Interior — domestic — living room
  • Architecture Interior — detail — window
  • Figure female
Object Number
1985.30.62

Artwork Description

In this painting, Jon Stroup emphasized the dramatic contrast between the cool shade of the interior and the heat in the garden outside. The image is representational, but the windows, plants, and shadows create abstract patterns that are as interesting as the figures. The dark figure on the right could be a statue or a person, watching the gardener from the shadows, and this, together with the strange plants gazing in the window, transforms the naturalistic painting into something more disquieting.