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My Daughter Elisabeth

Frank Weston Benson American, 1862-1951
On View

in

American, Level 2, West Wing

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About the Artwork

Benson’s portrait of his eldest daughter, Elisabeth, eloquently summarizes the artist’s interests during the early twentieth century—the exploration of outdoor light and the depiction of lively, radiant, young womanhood. Although Benson used a camera in his working process, he idealized his subjects when he transferred them to canvas. The images of his daughters in outdoor light remain the quintessential vision of American womanhood at the turn of the century.

My Daughter Elisabeth

ca. 1914

Frank Weston Benson

1862-1951

American

Unknown

Oil on canvas

Unframed: 44 × 37 inches (111.8 × 94 cm) Framed: 55 3/8 × 44 3/8 × 4 inches (140.7 × 112.7 × 10.2 cm)

Paintings

American Art before 1950

Detroit Museum of Art Purchase, Special Membership and Donations Fund with contributions from Philip, David and Paul R. Gray, and their sister Mrs. William R. Kales

16.31

Copyright Not Evaluated

Markings

Signed, lower left corner: F. W. Benson

Provenance

until 1916, the artist, Frank Weston Benson;
1916-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance, please visit:

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Exhibition History

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The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

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Published References

Burroughs, Clyde. “Annual Exhibition.” Bulletin of the Detroit Museum of Art, 10, no. 8 (April 1916): p. 9.

“The Second Annual Exhibition.” Bulletin of the Detroit Museum of Art 10, no. 9 (May 1916): pp. 3, 14 (ill.).

“A Painting by Frank W. Benson.” Bulletin of the Detroit Museum of Art 11, no. 2-3 (November-December 1916): pp. 19-20 (ill.).

Second Annual Exhibition of Painting by American Artists. Exh. cat., DIA. Detroit, 1916, pp. 6-7 (ill.).

American Beauty: Paintings and Sculpture from the Detroit Institute of Arts, 1770-1920. Exh. cat., DIA. Detroit, 2001, no. 73, pp. 99-100.

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

Frank Weston Benson, My Daughter Elisabeth, ca. 1914, oil on canvas. Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Museum of Art Purchase, Special Membership and Donations Fund with contributions from Philip Gray, et al., 16.31.

My Daughter Elisabeth
My Daughter Elisabeth