The Necklace

Alice Pike Barney, The Necklace, 1898, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney, 1951.14.77
Copied Alice Pike Barney, The Necklace, 1898, oil on canvas, 18 3816 18 in. (46.641.1 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney, 1951.14.77
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Artwork Details

Title
The Necklace
Date
1898
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
18 3816 18 in. (46.641.1 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
Keywords
  • Portrait female — Barney, Laura Dreyfus
  • Occupation — art — artist
  • Dress — accessory — jewelry
Object Number
1951.14.77

Artwork Description

Alice Pike Barney studied in Paris with portrait painter Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran, who believed that a sitter's outward appearance reflected his or her inner character. The Necklace, which was probably a self-portrait, shows a self-assured woman with a gold necklace. Her direct gaze and the portrait's dramatic lighting lend her an almost haughty air, hinting at Barney's independent and somewhat rebellious character.