Skip to main contentProvenanceThe artist
Estate of the artist
Mrs. William J. Glackens (wife of artist)
Kraushaar Gallery, New York, New York
Mr. and Mrs. Irving Mitchell Felt
Private collection
Berry-Hill Galleries, Inc., New York, New York
Daniel J. Terra Collection, Chicago, Illinois, 1992
Terra Foundation for the Arts Collection, Chicago, Illinois, 1999
Exhibition HistoryPublished References
William Glackens
(American, 1870–1938)
Julia's Sister
c. 1915
Oil on canvas
Image: 32 1/8 x 26 1/8 in. (81.6 x 66.4 cm)
Frame: 41 1/2 x 35 7/16 in. (105.4 x 90.0 cm)
Frame: 41 1/2 x 35 7/16 in. (105.4 x 90.0 cm)
Credit LineTerra Foundation for American Art, Daniel J. Terra Collection
Object number1999.58
SignedUnsigned
InterpretationWilliam Glackens's Julia's Sister is an image of a pretty young woman wearing a white dress and flower-trimmed hat and seated amid lushly colored drapery before a flowering potted plant and a floral patterned background. Her pose is casual and relaxed, but her downcast eyes reinforce her rather sober expression. The subject's mood is secondary, however, to the joyful riot of color and texture not only in the objects that surround her but in the paint itself. Feathery brushwork and imaginative hues (as in the green and red strokes that describe the model's flowing hair) create an active, scintillating surface that belies the model's passivity. The painting testifies to Glackens's deep admiration for French painter Auguste Renoir (1841–1919), whose softened outlines and brilliant colorism he emulated.
Glackens painted few portraits in his career, but he did create many portrait-like studies of hired sitters; Julia herself was a favorite model for them. Her sister, however, has never been identified by name. This image of her was first exhibited in 1927 under the title Girl in a Flowered Hat. It is one of many such works for which he posed his subject wearing or holding hats adorned with flowers. In Julia's Sister, the repeated floral references—the flowers in the hat, the floral background, and the potted plant behind the model—anticipate the floral still life subjects that Glackens began painting in 1916, shortly after he probably created this work.
Glackens painted few portraits in his career, but he did create many portrait-like studies of hired sitters; Julia herself was a favorite model for them. Her sister, however, has never been identified by name. This image of her was first exhibited in 1927 under the title Girl in a Flowered Hat. It is one of many such works for which he posed his subject wearing or holding hats adorned with flowers. In Julia's Sister, the repeated floral references—the flowers in the hat, the floral background, and the potted plant behind the model—anticipate the floral still life subjects that Glackens began painting in 1916, shortly after he probably created this work.
Estate of the artist
Mrs. William J. Glackens (wife of artist)
Kraushaar Gallery, New York, New York
Mr. and Mrs. Irving Mitchell Felt
Private collection
Berry-Hill Galleries, Inc., New York, New York
Daniel J. Terra Collection, Chicago, Illinois, 1992
Terra Foundation for the Arts Collection, Chicago, Illinois, 1999
Exhibition History
Recent Paintings by William J. Glackens, The Daniel Gallery, New York, New York, December 17, 1927–January 29, 1928, no. 2. [exh. cat.]
William Glackens Memorial Exhibition, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, December 14, 1938–January 15, 1939, no. 91.
William Glackens Memorial Exhibition, American Federation of Arts, New York, New York (organizer). Venues: Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 1–March 15, 1939; The Arts Club of Chicago, Illinois, May 19–June 10, 1939; J. B. Speed Museum, Louisville, Kentucky, November 5–19, 1939; Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, November 30–December 31, 1939. [exh. cat.]
Two Centuries of American Painting, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 4–November 4, 1958, no. 37.
Exhibition, The Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire, 1959.
William Glackens in Retrospect, City Art Museum of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri (organizer). Venues: City Art Museum of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, November 18–December 31, 1966; National Collection of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., February 1–April 2, 1967; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, April 25–June 11, 1967. [exh. cat.]
American Classics from the Collection, Terra Museum of American Art, Chicago, Illinois (organizer). Venue: Terra Museum of American Art, Chicago, Illinois, May 14–June 15, 2003.
The Eight and American Modernisms, Terra Foundation for American Art, Chicago, Illinois, New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut, and Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (organizers). Venues: New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut, March 6–May 24, 2009; Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 6–August 23, 2009. [exh. cat.]
William J. Glackens and Pierre-August Renoir: Affinities and Distinctions , William J. Glackens and Pierre-August Renoir: Affinities and Distinctions, NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (organizer). Venues: NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, October 21, 2018–May 5, 2019; Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, June 21–September 21, 2019 [exh. cat.]
William Glackens Memorial Exhibition, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, December 14, 1938–January 15, 1939, no. 91.
William Glackens Memorial Exhibition, American Federation of Arts, New York, New York (organizer). Venues: Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 1–March 15, 1939; The Arts Club of Chicago, Illinois, May 19–June 10, 1939; J. B. Speed Museum, Louisville, Kentucky, November 5–19, 1939; Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, November 30–December 31, 1939. [exh. cat.]
Two Centuries of American Painting, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 4–November 4, 1958, no. 37.
Exhibition, The Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire, 1959.
William Glackens in Retrospect, City Art Museum of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri (organizer). Venues: City Art Museum of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, November 18–December 31, 1966; National Collection of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., February 1–April 2, 1967; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, April 25–June 11, 1967. [exh. cat.]
American Classics from the Collection, Terra Museum of American Art, Chicago, Illinois (organizer). Venue: Terra Museum of American Art, Chicago, Illinois, May 14–June 15, 2003.
The Eight and American Modernisms, Terra Foundation for American Art, Chicago, Illinois, New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut, and Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (organizers). Venues: New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut, March 6–May 24, 2009; Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 6–August 23, 2009. [exh. cat.]
William J. Glackens and Pierre-August Renoir: Affinities and Distinctions , William J. Glackens and Pierre-August Renoir: Affinities and Distinctions, NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (organizer). Venues: NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, October 21, 2018–May 5, 2019; Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, June 21–September 21, 2019 [exh. cat.]
Du Bois, Guy Pène. "Who's Who in Modern Art-Glackens." New York Evening Post Magazine (September 21, 1918): 5. Ill. p. 5 (as Girl in a Flowered Hat).
Watson, Forbes. "William Glackens." Arts 3 (April 1923): 246-61. Ill. p. 259 (as Young Girl).
Recent Paintings by William J. Glackens. (exh. cat., The Daniel Gallery). New York: The Daniel Gallery, 1927. Ill. no. 2.
"William J. Glackens - Painter." The Index of Twentieth Century Artists 2 (January 1935): 64.
William Glackens in Retrospect. (exh. cat., City Art Museum). St. Louis, Missouri: City Art Museum, 1966. Ill. frontispiece.
"Glackens' Rippling Realism." Time Magazine (December 2, 1966): 72-75. Ill. p. 74 (color).
Wattenmaker, Richard Joel. The Art of William Glackens. PhD dissertation, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, 1972. Text pp. 296, 298, 299, 302; fig. 183.
Gerdts, William H. William Glackens. New York: Abbeville Press, 1996. Text p. 165, n. 14.
Kennedy, Elizabeth et al. The Eight and American Modernisms. (exh. cat., New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut and Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Chicago, Illinois: Terra Foundation for American Art, 2009. Text pp. 48, 175 (checklist); Ill. p. 49 (color). William J. Glackens and Pierre-Auguste Renoir: Affinities and Distinctions. (exh. cat. NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale) Milan: Skira, 2018. Pl. 45, p. 108 (color).
Watson, Forbes. "William Glackens." Arts 3 (April 1923): 246-61. Ill. p. 259 (as Young Girl).
Recent Paintings by William J. Glackens. (exh. cat., The Daniel Gallery). New York: The Daniel Gallery, 1927. Ill. no. 2.
"William J. Glackens - Painter." The Index of Twentieth Century Artists 2 (January 1935): 64.
William Glackens in Retrospect. (exh. cat., City Art Museum). St. Louis, Missouri: City Art Museum, 1966. Ill. frontispiece.
"Glackens' Rippling Realism." Time Magazine (December 2, 1966): 72-75. Ill. p. 74 (color).
Wattenmaker, Richard Joel. The Art of William Glackens. PhD dissertation, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, 1972. Text pp. 296, 298, 299, 302; fig. 183.
Gerdts, William H. William Glackens. New York: Abbeville Press, 1996. Text p. 165, n. 14.
Kennedy, Elizabeth et al. The Eight and American Modernisms. (exh. cat., New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut and Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Chicago, Illinois: Terra Foundation for American Art, 2009. Text pp. 48, 175 (checklist); Ill. p. 49 (color). William J. Glackens and Pierre-Auguste Renoir: Affinities and Distinctions. (exh. cat. NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale) Milan: Skira, 2018. Pl. 45, p. 108 (color).