Patria
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Saul Zalesch
Accession Number
S/NPG.2005.78
Tags
About this artwork
Born New Rochelle, New York
Art Historical Context
"Patria" is a 1917 print from the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection, likely a commercial sheet music cover featuring a stylish portrait of Irene Castle, the iconic American dancer born in New Rochelle, New York. Rendered by an unidentified artist, the illustration captures Castle in elegant attire, complete with a fashionable hat that nods to her influence as a trendsetter and costume designer. These sheet music covers were a staple of early 20th popular culture, blending portraiture with promotional flair to sell tunes tied to theater, dance crazes, and emerging media. Created amid ...