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The Straw Hat (Le Chapeau de Paille), Portrait of Susanna Lunden

Original title: The Straw Hat (Le Chapeau de Paille), Portrait of Susanna Lunden

Artist

Robert Cooper

Date

1823

Medium

Engraving

Dimensions

Image: 10 3/8 × 7 5/16 in. (26.3 × 18.6 cm) Sheet (Trimmed): 16 1/16 × 11 5/8 in. (40.8 × 29.6 cm)

Credit line

Gift of Georgiana W. Sargent, in memory of John Osborne Sargent, 1924

kurzbeschreibung

Susanna Lunden wears a broad-brimmed straw hat that frames her face. Robert Cooper translated this portrait into an engraving in 1823. Facing forward, she directs attention to her calm demeanor.

Description

The woman occupies the center of the sheet, crowned by a voluminous, soft straw hat. Her arms are crossed over her chest, and her expression is quiet and pensive. She wears a dark, long-sleeved top with a bow at the collar. Behind her, the background remains blurred, revealing a landscape with clouds that makes the figure stand out. The layout is symmetrical, and the view is rendered in black and white.

Context

This engraving is based on a painting by Peter Paul Rubens that depicts Susanna Lunden. Robert Cooper produced the print in 1823 as a reproductive engraving. Such prints made famous paintings accessible to a wider audience in the nineteenth century.

Impact

The calm pose and even light evoke a contemplative atmosphere. The large hat gives the figure an elegant presence, further emphasized by the blurred landscape.

Technique

Copper engraving was used, in which fine lines and hatching bring out contours and textures. This method allows precise details, as seen in the hat and clothing.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)