Natalie at Ten

Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran, Natalie at Ten, 1887, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney, 1972.181.2
Copied Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran, Natalie at Ten, 1887, oil on canvas, 31 3⁄8 x 23 1⁄2 in. (79.7 x 59.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney, 1972.181.2
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Natalie at Ten
Artist
Date
1887
Location
Dimensions
31 3⁄8 x 23 1⁄2 in. (79.7 x 59.7 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait female — Barney, Natalie Clifford — child
Object Number
1972.181.2
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1972.181.2

Artwork Description

This painting depicts Natalie Clifford Barney (1876-1972), the eldest daughter of Washington, D.C., socialite and painter Alice Pike Barney (1857-1931), who studied with the artist in Paris. Known for his realistic portraits, Carolus-Duran felt he could capture a sitter's character through his or her gestures and expression. Natalie's confident demeanor and inquisitive gaze, accentuated by her dark clothing, suggest her willful independence as a child. As an adult, Natalie hosted intellectual gatherings in her Paris home. She was one of the first openly lesbian modern writers and had a fifty-year relationship with artist Romaine Brooks.