Woman in Manteau

Painted in Paris at a time when Robert Henri was determined to make his professional mark, this work shows his favorite model, Berthe Terrier, in a manner deliberately recalling European Old Masters. Although he intentionally allied his art with revered tradition, Henri also inserted a contemporary mood by portraying Berthe with a bold, almost defiant expression. His efforts were rewarded, for the painting brought him favorable reviews when it was displayed at the Paris Salon in 1899.

• Artist: Robert Henri
• Medium: Oil on canvas
• Dates: 1898
• Dimensions: 58 1/16 x 38 11/16 in. (147.5 x 98.3 cm)
• Signature: Signed lower left: "Robert Henri"
• Inscriptions: Inscribed verso, before relining, top right quadrant, in black paint: ning: "A/31/1"; top left quadrant: "No. 2"
• Collection: American Art
• Museum Location: Brooklyn Museum, BMA, EXHIBITION-5, American 5P19
• Accession Number: 39.600
• Image: "Detail", CONS.39.600_1975_xrs_detail03.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, Nov 30, 1974