Rossie and Rab

Art Historical Context

**Rossie and Rab** (1896) is an evocative early print by Arthur B. Davies, pivotal American artist known for his symbolism and later role in championing modernism through the 1913 Armory Show Created as a graphic arts print, this work captures an intimate moment between a female figure—likely "Rossie"—and a child named "Rab," evoking tender bonds of everyday life at the turn of the 20th century. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection it was transferred from the Archives of American, highlighting its value as a preserved piece of artistic heritage. In the late 1890s, Davies was honing his skills after studies at the Art Institute of Chicago, blending illustrative precision with emerging symbolic tendencies. Prints like this were vital for artists, allowing wider distribution and experimentation with line, tone, and composition outside traditional painting. The medium's accessibility democratized art, making scenes of women and children—common motifs reflecting Victorian domestic ideals—reachable to broader audiences. This charming depiction offers a glimpse into Davies' formative years, before his dreamlike pastorals defined his legacy. Visitors will appreciate its quiet emotional depth, a testament to the personal stories that fueled American art's evolution. (198 words)

About the Artist

Arthur B. Davies · 1862–1928

Arthur Bowen Davies (1862–1928) occupies one of the most paradoxical positions in American art history: a painter whose own canvases were lyrical, dreamlike, and rooted in the classical tradition, yet whose organizational energy and curatorial vision helped force American audiences into direct confrontation with the European avant-garde. Born on 26 September 1862 in Utica, New York, to English and...