The Pleiades
1885
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
24 1/8 x 37 5/8 in. (61.3 x 95.6 cm)
Classification
Painting
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George A. Hearn, 1910
Accession Number
10.64.13
Tags
Art Historical Context
Elihu Vedder's *The Pleiades* (1885), an oil on canvas measuring 24 1/8 x 37 5/8 inches, captures the mythical seven sisters from Greek mythology—nymphs transformed into stars—as ethereal, dancing female nudes. Painted during Vedder's later career, when he was deeply immersed in Rome's artistic circles, the work exemplifies his signature Symbolist style, blending Pre-Raphaelite influences with mystical allegory. The luminous figures float against a cosmic backdrop, their flowing forms and soft modeling evoking celestial grace and the harmony of the universe. Oil on canvas allowed Vedder to ac...
About the Artist
Elihu Vedder · 1836–1923
Elihu Vedder was born on February 26, 1836, in New York City to Dr. Elihu Vedder Sr., a dentist, and his cousin Elizabeth Vedder. As a young boy, his family relocated to Cuba for his father's ventures, an experience that sparked his artistic aspirations amid the Caribbean landscapes. He later divided his time between a boarding school and his maternal grandfather Alexander Vedder's home in Schenec...