Portrait of the Artist’s Wife Philena, Venice
Description
During a year-long honeymoon spent exploring France and Italy, Theodore Wendel continued to find inspiring subject matter for his work. In Venice, he focused less on the grand palazzos and winding canals and more on capturing the city’s residents going about their daily activities, an emphasis that correlated to the genre pictures created over a decade earlier by his mentor Duveneck, according to Laurene Buckley. Consequently, his new bride was also a valued subject. In Portrait of the Artist’s Wife Philena, Venice, she is captured in a moment of repose in a garden, as spots of sunlight fall on her hair, shoulders and lace collar, with more brilliant pools illuminating the background greenery.
Provenance
By descent through the family of the artist.
Inscriptions
Labels
Exhibitions
Bringing to Light: Theodore Wendel, Vose Galleries, Boston, October 19 – December 7, 2019
Literature
Condition
Good. The painting was previously wax-lined on newer stretchers and was recently cleaned. There is minor in-paint in the background greenery and sunlight falling on the ground at left, some specks and dashes surrounding her head, shoulders and along the profile of her face, a few specks in her face, and some in-paint in her skirt, book, parasol, hat and left arm.
