The Silver Hand Glass

About this artwork

In 1891 a group of women protested several of Kenyon Cox's nude studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts annual show. Cox advocated the nude as an artistic subject but was often criticized because his nudes looked too familiar. For example, in this image the woman gazes into a nineteenth-century silver mirror, wears a fashionable pompadour hairstyle, and sits in a turn-of-the-century domestic interior with contemporary wallpaper. Cox based his treatment of the subject on classical an...

Art Historical Context

Kenyon Cox's *The Silver Hand Glass* (1907) captures a nude woman gazing into a reflective mirror within a contemporary domestic setting. The figure's pompadour hairstyle and the room's patterned wallpaper ground the scene in turn-of-the-century America, even as Cox draws on classical and Renaissance traditions of the nude. This blend creates an intimate moment that feels both timeless and distinctly modern. Cox was a vocal advocate for the nude as a serious artistic subject, yet his works often sparked controversy. In 1891, women protested his paintings at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, criticizing how his figures appeared too familiar rather than idealized. Here, the everyday silver hand mirror and fashionable details make the woman relatable to viewers of the era, fulfilling Cox's goal of giving his nudes "real flesh and bodily appearance" that would resonate with modern audiences. The painting reflects broader tensions in American art at the time, as artists navigated between academic ideals and contemporary life. Its presence in the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection highlights Cox's lasting influence on how the human form was portrayed in early 20th-century painting.

About the Artist

Kenyon Cox · 1856–1919

Kenyon Cox (1856–1919) was born on October 27 in Warren, Ohio, to General Jacob Dolson Cox, a prominent politician and Civil War veteran, and Helen Finney Cox. Despite fragile health, young Cox pursued art at the Art Academy of Cincinnati before advancing to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. In 1877, he traveled to Paris, studying first under Carolus-Duran, then at the Éco...