Catharine Lorillard Wolfe (1828–1887)
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
67 1/2 x 42 3/4 in. (171.5 x 108.6 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Collection, Bequest of Catharine Lorillard Wolfe, 1887
Accession Number
87.15.82
Tags
About this artwork
This oil on canvas work by Alexandre Cabanel, titled 'Catharine Lorillard Wolfe (1828–1887)' and created 1876, represents an important example of artistic production from this period. Alexandre Cabanel's practice contributed to the broader artistic traditions of the time, demonstrating the technical skills and aesthetic sensibilities characteristic of European Paintings artworks in museum collections. The piece reflects the cultural and artistic values of its era, serving as a document of histor...
Art Historical Context
This elegant oil-on-canvas portrait by French academic painter Alexandre Cabanel captures Catharine Lorillard Wolfe (1828–1887), a wealthy New York heiress and philanthropist, painted in 1876. Measuring an impressive 67½ × 42¾ inches, the work exemplifies the grandeur of 19th-century society portraiture, where artists like Cabanel—favored by European aristocracy and American elites—rendered subjects with polished realism and refined detail. Oil on canvas, a staple medium for such commissions, allowed for the luminous skin tones, intricate fabrics, and dramatic lighting that convey status and p...