Untitled

ClassificationsPaintings-oils

Artist William Joseph McCloskey (American, 1859 - 1941)

Date1920

Made AtLos Angeles, California, United States, North America

MediumOil on canvas

DimensionsFramed: 36 3/4 × 31 × 1 1/4 in. (93.3 × 78.7 × 3.2 cm)

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Eleanor Russell

Object number74.22.23

DescriptionThe McCloskeys were advocates of the academic realism of painters like Thomas Eakins and Jean-Léon Gérôme. William had studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts with Eakins from 1877 to 1882, and was trained to paint directly from the model. Inspired by Eakins, McCloskey used a lighting technique to bring the hands and face of his subjects into prominence, shrouding the rest of the figure and the background in relative darkness. This aided in the revelation of psychology and the attention to physiognomy, resulting in the sober presentations that were McCloskey’s forte. The artist most likely met this young violinist at the Egan School of Music and Drama in Los Angeles, where he had a painting studio.

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