Sleeping Beauty

Henry Brintnell Bounetheau, Sleeping Beauty, ca. 1850, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Henry Du Pré Bounetheau, 1946.3.22
Henry Brintnell Bounetheau, Sleeping Beauty, ca. 1850, watercolor on ivory, sight 4 3⁄4 x 6 1⁄2 in. (12.1 x 16.5 cm) oval, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Henry Du Pré Bounetheau, 1946.3.22
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Artwork Details

Title
Sleeping Beauty
Artist
Date
ca. 1850
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sight 4 3⁄4 x 6 1⁄2 in. (12.1 x 16.5 cm) oval
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Henry Du Pré Bounetheau
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Subjects
  • Literature — character — Sleeping Beauty
  • State of being — other — sleep
  • Figure female — nude
Object Number
1946.3.22
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1946.3.22

Artwork Description

The artist’s slightly risqué painting of a partially nude, sleeping woman has a venerable source: John Vanderlyn’s famous painting Ariadne Asleep on the Isle of Naxos. Here, Henry Brintnell Bounetheau moved his more demurely clad figure indoors and showed only her upper torso, whereas Vanderlyn’s painting placed his full-length, nearly nude sleeping beauty outdoors. Conservation of this miniature was made possible through a generous grant provided by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee.

Works by this artist (13 items)

View all artworks
John James Audubon, Joseph Bartholomew Kidd, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, n.d., oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U. S. National Museum, 1953.3.4
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
Artist
Daten.d.
oil on canvas
On view
John James Audubon, Washington Sea Eagle, ca. 1836-1839, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Dr. S. Dillon Ripley II and Mary Livingston Ripley, 1994.121
Washington Sea Eagle
Artist
Dateca. 1836-1839
oil on canvas
On view
Image Not Available
Norwegian Rats
Artist
Date1845
hand-colored lithograph on paper
Not on view
John James Audubon, Julius Bien, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, 1860, chromolithograph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Museum of Natural History, Division of Birds, Smithsonian Institution, 1975.20.2
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
Artist
Date1860
chromolithograph on paper
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

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Elihu Vedder, (Illustration for Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám) Omar's Tomb, 1883-1884, chalk, pencil, ink and watercolor on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase and gift from Elizabeth W. Henderson in memory of her husband Francis Tracy Henderson, 1978.108.49
(Illustration for Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám) Omar’s Tomb
Artist
Date1883-1884
chalk, pencil, ink and watercolor on paper
Not on view
John James Audubon, Cardinal Grosbeak, 1811, chalk, pencil, watercolor and ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U. S. National Museum, 1953.3.1
Cardinal Grosbeak
Artist
Date1811
chalk, pencil, watercolor and ink on paper
Not on view
Elihu Vedder, (Illustration for Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám) Omar's Horoscope, 1883-1884, chalk, pencil, watercolor and ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase and gift from Elizabeth W. Henderson in memory of her husband Francis Tracy Henderson, 1978.108.19
(Illustration for Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám) Omar’s Horoscope
Artist
Date1883-1884
chalk, pencil, watercolor and ink on paper
Not on view
Elihu Vedder, (Illustration for Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám) Death's Review, 1883, chalk, pencil, ink and watercolor on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase and gift from Elizabeth W. Henderson in memory of her husband Francis Tracy Henderson, 1978.108.27
(Illustration for Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám) Death’s Review
Artist
Date1883
chalk, pencil, ink and watercolor on paper
Not on view