Porte St. Denis
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney
Accession Number
1952.13.128
Tags
Art Historical Context
Frank Edwin Scott's *Porte St. Denis*, an undated painting from the Smithsonian Art Museum, captures the grandeur of Paris's iconic triumphal arch, Porte Saint. Built in 1672 to celebrate King Louis XIV's military victories, the arch stands as a symbol of French royal power and urban splendor. Scott's work depicts this historic monument amid a lively street scene, incorporating a figure group and domestic elements that evoke everyday Parisian life bustling around the monumental structure. As an American artist active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Scott likely drew from his time s...