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Still Life with Flowers and Fruit

Dateca. 1910

MediumOil on academy board; framed

Dimensions36 1/8 x 30 1/8 in.
Framed: 43 x 36 1/4 x 3 in.

CreditGift of Mrs. Harriet C. Herter, 81.6

Accession Number81.6

DescriptionLike many painters of flowers, Albert Herter chose to live surrounded by them and thanks to wealth amassed by his father's decorating firm was able to do so in grand style at an estate in East Hampton. The Touchstone magazine included his garden in 'Picturesque Entrances to American Houses' and a photograph of his dining room in House Beautiful included vases of flowers similar to these gladiolas. Here, his careful depiction of stems inside glass recalls French flower paintings he would have seen when he lived in Paris. Primarily a muralist, Herter painted this for his own pleasure, as it remained in his family until donated to the museum.

Exhibition HistoryPortrayal of Flowers in the Decorative Arts, Scarsdale Hist. Soc., 12/7/88-3/19/89; The Hudson River Museum, 'Nature's Ornaments: Natural Motifs in the Victorian Home,' 12/16/90-Fall 1991; Citibank (Mt. Kisco) Benefit for HRM, 3/28-29/95; Glenview dining room, 11/27/96 - 10/99. Hudson River Museum, "Festooned With Flowers, " 4/2/08-8/17/08 Floral Arrangements: Highlights from the Collection, 2017.