Walter Shirlaw (American, born Scotland, 1838–1909)
Toning the Bell
INV-8962
Walter Shirlaw (American, born Scotland, 1838–1909)1874
Toning the Bell
Walter Shirlaw (American, born Scotland, 1838–1909) →Realismpaintingamerican arts
Date
1874
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
101.6 × 76.2 cm (40 × 30 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Friends of American Art Collection
Like many artists of his generation, Walter Shirlaw furthered his training in Europe, studying at the Royal Academy in Munich. German instruction focused on a dark, painterly realism and was steeped in an astute understanding of aesthetic traditions. In Toning the Bell, executed during his student years and now considered his best-known work, the artist demonstrated an accomplished Munich style, featuring noble peasants, a limited tonal palette, and strong contrasts of light and dark. Prior to his time abroad, Shirlaw had worked in Chicago and helped establish the Chicago Academy of Design, a forerunner to the Art Institute of Chicago.
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