Untitled

ClassificationsPaintings-oils

Artist Alberta Binford McCloskey (American, 1855 - 1911)

Datec. 1901

Made AtUnited States, North America

MediumOil on canvas

DimensionsFramed: 20 × 16 3/4 × 3 1/2 in. (50.8 × 42.5 × 8.9 cm)

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Eleanor Russell

Object number74.22.33

DescriptionMcCloskey is known to have painted from photographs but the young woman in this portrait likely came to her studio. Her commission fee would have been considerable, perhaps indicating the sitter’s social station in life. Following the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, women were not allowed entry to the U.S. unless they were the wives or daughters of wealthy merchants. An important document of a resident of San Francisco’s Chinatown, the painting was likely published, indicated by the copyright symbol next to the artist’s signature.

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