Eleanor (1907)

Frank Weston Benson (American, 1862-1951) – Eleanor, 1907 (Oil on canvas. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) - - Eleanor depicts the painter’s daughter on the porch of their summer home at North Haven, Maine. Benson esteemed his academic training and never dissolved his figures into light to the degree that French artists favored. He used a small brush to define Eleanor’s features, painting her realistically with an authentic sense of weight and volume. But Benson gave himself much more freedom in other parts of the composition: the shimmering sea and leaves seem to vibrate with intensity, Eleanor’s pink dress is loosely painted with broad strokes, and the details of her hat are abbreviated. The whole effect is vital and effervescent, much like an ideal summer day. - Szingy Gallery (NégyArt) - https://www.facebook.com/george.nemeth.blog/