{"title":"American Impressionist Portrait Paintings","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAmerican Impressionist Portrait Paintings\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmerican Impressionist portrait paintings bring light, atmosphere and immediacy into the portrait tradition. Rather than relying solely on tight finish, many of these works use broken brushwork and luminous color to convey both likeness and the sensation of lived presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat Collectors Look For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe category appeals in part because it softens the formality often associated with portraiture. Sitters may appear elegant and composed, yet the paint itself remains active, allowing the image to feel fresh and responsive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eStyle, Subject and Period Character\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollectors often look for a strong relationship between figure and atmosphere. The finest American Impressionist portraits use light not merely as an effect but as a way of shaping mood, space and character.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eHow to Evaluate Quality\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with any portrait, condition, color retention and compositional strength matter greatly. A successful work should feel persuasive across the room and rewarding up close, where brushwork and surface become part of the experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAmerican Impressionist Portrait Paintings at M.S. Rau\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eM.S. Rau presents American Impressionist portrait paintings selected for light, color and artistic distinction. Each work is considered for its painterly vitality, condition and enduring appeal within the portrait tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"girl-with-a-banjo-by-mary-cassatt","title":"Girl with a Banjo by Mary Cassatt","description":"Mary Cassatt\u003cbr\u003e 1844–1926 | American \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eGirl with a Banjo\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Pastel on paper mounted on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This important pastel entitled \u003cem\u003eGirl with a Banjo\u003c\/em\u003e by Mary Cassatt is a true masterwork from one of the most significant figures in the Impressionist movement. In the late 19th century, American artists in France faced marginalization, with women encountering even greater obstacles. Yet Cassatt overcame these challenges, not through talent alone, but with extraordinary vision and unwavering perseverance. Created at the peak of her career, this exquisite composition coincided with her monumental mural commission for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, underscoring her pivotal role in both American and European art history. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Encouraged by her close friend and mentor Edgar Degas, Cassatt began experimenting with the medium of pastel in the early 1880s. Her mastery of the medium became one of the defining elements of her artistic legacy. \u003cem\u003eGirl with a Banjo\u003c\/em\u003e exemplifies her technical virtuosity in pastel, with its vibrant, explosive use of color and dynamic brushwork, enhancing the delicate rendering of the young musician’s pale skin and soft hair. The composition is alive with texture and movement, bringing the figure to life with remarkable immediacy. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e By the early 1890s, Mary Cassatt had firmly established herself as the foremost American female artist, reshaping the role of women in art and society alongside fellow Impressionist Berthe Morisot. While earlier female artists often followed the stylistic conventions of their male peers, Cassatt and Morisot distinguished themselves by focusing on the lives of women, depicting them as active participants in their domestic and personal spheres. In 1891, Cassatt was commissioned to create a large mural for the Woman’s Building at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Her monumental work, Modern Woman, spanned 54 feet by 14 feet and explored the expanding roles of women in modern society. A central figure in the mural depicted a woman playing the banjo—an instrument associated with African American culture and considered unconventional for women—highlighting Cassatt’s bold statement on women’s growing autonomy and their evolving place in the world. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e During this period, Cassatt produced several works of women playing the banjo, many of which were preparatory studies for her mural. \u003cem\u003eGirl with a Banjo\u003c\/em\u003e stands as one of only two complete works on this subject, with the other belonging to the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. This particular pastel is widely regarded as the finest of her surviving banjo-themed works. Unfortunately, Cassatt's mural for the World’s Columbian Exposition was lost after the fair, likely destroyed in a warehouse fire, leaving works like \u003cem\u003eGirl with a Banjo\u003c\/em\u003e as rare surviving testaments to this significant phase of her career. Cassatt’s legacy as a groundbreaking artist endures, with her pastels highly prized by collectors and prestigious institutions worldwide. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1894 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Paper: 23\" high x 28\" wide (58.42 x 71.12 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 37 1\/2\" high x 42 1\/4\" wide x 2 3\/4\" deep (95.25 x 107.32 x 6.99 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-0025.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This painting was exhibited at The European Fine Art Fair. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Roger Marx, Paris\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Tokyo, acquired from above\u003cbr\u003e Sale, Sotheby’s London, 26 June 1990, lot 13, sold by above\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Texas\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Los Angeles, by 1998\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e The Art Institute of Chicago, Mary Cassatt: Modern Woman, 10 October 1998-10 January 1999, no. 74, p. 218, 296, 325, illustrated in color; exhibition traveled to Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 6 February-10 May 1999 and National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 5 June-6 September 1999","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44424774942855,"sku":"32-0025","price":4950000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-0025_1_06b5b680-9f81-407b-ad4e-2728c38d15f1.png?v=1775661735"},{"product_id":"young-woman-in-interior-by-richard-e-miller","title":"Young Woman in Interior by Richard E. Miller","description":"Richard E. Miller\u003cbr\u003e 1875-1943 | American \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eYoung Woman in Interior\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"Miller\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Richard E. Miller's \u003cem\u003eYoung Woman in Interior\u003c\/em\u003e exemplifies the artist's exceptional mastery of light, color and feminine beauty that established him as one of the most significant American artists of the early 20th century. This captivating work transports viewers to an intimate domestic scene where a young woman, seated at a window overlooking her garden, delicately stirs her tea in a moment of quiet contemplation. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This colorful composition demonstrates Miller's sophisticated technique through its masterful contrasts—the sweeping folds of the subject's dark skirt juxtaposed against the sunlit foliage beyond the window, the luminous rendering of her smooth hands and bare shoulders against the energetic brushwork of her garments. These elements create a visual symphony that captures the fleeting quality of light and atmosphere so prized by the Impressionists. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Miller developed his distinctive artistic voice during his time in Paris at the end of the 19th century, where he was immersed in the vibrant artistic circles of the period. Unlike many American artists who merely adopted European styles, Miller cultivated a personal approach to Impressionism that would define his oeuvre. This evolution reached its peak when he settled in Giverny, France—the legendary artist colony where Claude Monet and numerous other luminaries lived and worked. It was amid this creative community of the \"Giverny Luminists\" where Miller refined his signature subject: young beauties in light-filled domestic settings, like this work. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Richard Edward Miller emerged as one of America's most significant Impressionist painters through his extraordinary sensitivity to light and feminine beauty. After training at Washington University's School of Fine Arts, Miller moved to Paris for nearly fifteen years, where his technical virtuosity earned him acceptance at the prestigious Paris Salon by 1901, and eventually to Giverny where his mature style fully flourished. Following his return to America during World War I, he taught at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts before settling in Provincetown, Massachusetts, garnering numerous accolades including gold medals at the St. Louis Universal Exposition (1904) and Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915). Today, his works grace the permanent collections of prestigious institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/landing.rauantiques.com\/miller-insights\/\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSee auction comparables and market data\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1910-11 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 35 5\/8\" high x 28 1\/4\" wide (90.49 x 71.76 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 45 5\/8\" high x 38 1\/4\" wide x 2 3\/4\" deep (115.89 x 97.16 x 6.99 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Collection of the artist\u003cbr\u003e Alexander M. Hudnut, acquired from the above\u003cbr\u003e Walter P. Chrysler Jr., New York, Chrysler Museum of Art, Provincetown, MA, 1966\u003cbr\u003e Hirschl \u0026amp; Adler Galleries, New York, 1980\u003cbr\u003e Brand Galleries, San Francisco\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, acquired from the above, 1982\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e (Possibly) New York, Macbeth Gallery, \u003cem\u003eExhibition of Paintings by Richard E. Miller\u003c\/em\u003e, April 1-20, 1912, no. 4 (as \u003cem\u003eA Dish of Tea\u003c\/em\u003e)","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43673056673927,"sku":"32-0773","price":685000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-0773_1_ca32cd0d-bd31-4d30-9718-dc84aa5255dd.png?v=1767189847"},{"product_id":"venetian-glass-portrait-of-kitty-hughes-by-childe-hassam","title":"Venetian Glass (Portrait of Kitty Hughes) by Childe Hassam","description":"Childe Hassam\u003cbr\u003e 1859-1935 | American \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eVenetian Glass (Portrait of Kitty Hughes)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated “Childe Hassam 1916” (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Widely considered America's most important Impressionist painter, Childe Hassam's radiant portraits of women are among the rarest and most coveted in all of his oeuvre. This magnificent masterwork, entitled \u003cem\u003eVenetian Glass (Portrait of Kitty Hughes)\u003c\/em\u003e, is coming to the market for the very first time, having remained in a museum collection for almost 100 years. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Hassam famously called himself “a painter of light and air,” rejecting the label of “Impressionist” his entire career. At the height of his fame in the early 1910s, Hassam turned his attention to intimate, light-filled interior scenes featuring women in quiet contemplation—a subject that would become his signature. Here, one of the artist's iconic beauties delicately grasps a long-stemmed Murano glass, and she can be identified as one of Hassam's favorite models, Kitty Hughes. Very little is known about her life, yet contemporary newspapers often wrote of her beauty: “One wonders if when she left the studios, if she knew how her beauty would live as long as canvas lasts—always Sweet Kitty Hughes.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Hassam's trademark techniques are on full display. The palette of warm golds and cool aquamarines is perfectly balanced and absolutely radiant, allowing the luminous figure to emerge from a shimmering atmosphere of pure color. He also masterfully renders an array of difficult textures with precision, from the sheen of her silk kimono and the curl of her auburn hair to the near-invisible translucence of the glass. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Hassam debuted this exceptional masterpiece at the 18th Annual Exhibition of the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh in the spring of 1914, and in the months and years that followed, it was exhibited in some of the nation’s most prestigious museums—the St. Louis Art Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Detroit Arts Institute and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. It was clearly a personal favorite of Hassam’s, as it remained in the artist’s own collection for the rest of his life. Upon his death in 1935, Hassam bequeathed this painting and several other special works to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York, where it has remained until now. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As one of the most important artists in American history, most of Hassam's masterworks of this caliber already reside in important institutions, including the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art and many more. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Hassam’s work in preparation by Stuart P. Feld and Kathleen M. Burnside. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted 1913-16 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 32 3\/8” high x 22 3\/8” wide (82.1 x 56.7 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 49” high x 38 3\/4” wide x 1 1\/4” deep (124.5 x 98.4 x 3.2 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-2711.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e The artist, 1913–35\u003cbr\u003e Bequest of the above to The American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, 1935\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e “List 344 Paintings at Pittsburgh Show. Eighteenth International Exhibition to Open at Carnegie Institute on April 30,” \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e, April 20, 1914, p. 11\u003cbr\u003e Moore S. Achenbach, “Art Galleries Are Open For Private View,” \u003cem\u003ePittsburgh Daily Post\u003c\/em\u003e, April 30, 1914, p. 7\u003cbr\u003e Glendinning Keeble, “Paintings Seen at Private View,” \u003cem\u003ePittsburgh Post-Gazette\u003c\/em\u003e, April 30, 1914, p. 16\u003cbr\u003e “Many Artists Will Exhibit,” \u003cem\u003ePittsburgh Daily Post\u003c\/em\u003e, April 20, 1914, p. 5\u003cbr\u003e John Lane, “Thumb-Nail Notes on the Annual Exhibition of the Chicago Art Institute,” \u003cem\u003eInternational Studio\u003c\/em\u003e 54 (November 1914), p. LV\u003cbr\u003e “Random Impressions in Current Exhibitions,” \u003cem\u003eNew-York Tribune\u003c\/em\u003e, February 25, 1917, p. 21\u003cbr\u003e Adeline Adams, \u003cem\u003eChilde Hassam\u003c\/em\u003e (New York: American Academy of Arts and Letters, 1938), illus. opposite p. 92 as “Kitty Hughes, 1916” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Department of Fine Arts, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, April 30–June 30, 1914, \u003cem\u003eEighteenth Annual Exhibition\u003c\/em\u003e, no. 149\u003cbr\u003e City Art Museum of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, from September 6, 1914, \u003cem\u003eNinth Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings by American Artists\u003c\/em\u003e, no. 88\u003cbr\u003e Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, November 3–December 6, 1914, \u003cem\u003eTwenty-seventh Annual Exhibition of American Oil Paintings and Sculpture\u003c\/em\u003e, no. 145\u003cbr\u003e M. Knoedler \u0026amp; Co., New York, February 15–March 3, 1917, \u003cem\u003eExhibition of American Painters\u003c\/em\u003e, no. 19\u003cbr\u003e Detroit Museum of Art, Detroit, Michigan, April 9–May 30, 1918, \u003cem\u003eFourth Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings by American Artists\u003c\/em\u003e, no. 123\u003cbr\u003e The American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, November 19, 1966–February 11, 1967, \u003cem\u003eChilde Hassam Exhibition\u003c\/em\u003e, no. 1, as “Kitty Hughes” ","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44797733273735,"sku":"32-2711","price":1285000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2711_1_f6a7d6b1-87c2-4607-bb07-375b847a2998.png?v=1781126540"}],"url":"https:\/\/rauantiques.com\/collections\/american-impressionist-portrait-paintings.oembed","provider":"M.S. Rau","version":"1.0","type":"link"}