Frank Weston Benson (American, 1862–1951)
White Heron in a Pool in a Garden
INV-1219
Frank Weston Benson (American, 1862–1951)c. 1929
White Heron in a Pool in a Garden
Frank Weston Benson (American, 1862–1951) →Impressionismpaintingmodern and contemporary art
Date
c. 1929
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
76.2 × 63.5 cm (30 × 25 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Anonymous loan
A principal figure of American Impressionism, Frank Weston Benson explored the effects of color and light in landscape and figure studies drawn from his life in North Haven, Maine, where he summered with his family beginning in 1901. A small pond behind his home offered ample artistic material, with its thick vegetation, water lilies, sun-dappled reflections, and shady nooks. A lifelong wildlife enthusiast, Benson excelled at depictions of birds. Here, he added a white heron to his composition, a species native to more southerly climes. Benson likely painted the heron from memory, having become fascinated with the stately creature
during his fishing trips to the Florida Keys.
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