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Mary Elizabeth Cutting Buckingham (1851-1896)

Collection Type

  • Art

Date

1889-1896

GUSN

GUSN-44461

Description

Portrait of Mary Elizabeth Cutting Buckingham, a young woman seated in a roundabout chair reading a book; screen at back. Wife of Edwin Buckingham.

Details

Descriptive Terms

portraits
paintings (visual works)
canvas
oil paint (paint)
Picture
Portrait
Portrait

Label

"Artful Stories": Portraits of women reading are a familiar device in the history of art, often used to suggest the figure’s erudition and independence. In this example, whether it was the sitter’s choice or the artist’s, the depiction of Mary Buckingham reading appropriately reflected her interests and education. Stuart may have gotten the commission for the painting through her partner, vaudeville actress Beatrice Herford. Herford and Buckingham both lived in Wayland, Massachusetts.

Associated Person

Buckingham, Mary Eliz. Cutting, 1854-1896

Additional Identification Number

33.1983

Maker

Stuart, Mabel (Artist)

Location of Origin

Wayland, Massachusetts, United States

Dimensions

22 1/2 x 18 1/2 x 1 (HxWxD) (inches)

Credit Line

Gift of Edwin Buckingham Sears

Accession Number

1987.1460

Places

Probably

Related Items

Title Roundabout Chair Accession Number 1987.1444

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