Department of Art History  |  Sweet Briar College



















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EXHIBITION CATEGORIES




Decorated Pottery




Illustration




Prints




Drawing




Photography




Sculpture




PAINTING






















   


 
What is Art .... ?
                     .... What is an Artist ?
  






An exhibition exploring the perception of ART     

and the identity of the ARTIST     

through HISTORY     
 
and in CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY     
























PAINTING....

essays by
 
Emily Busse and Hobby Holmes













Richard Miller

American

Sunny Morning, c. 1930

oil on canvas

Sweet Briar College Art Collection, Gift of Victor Henningsen, Sr.


click here for a LARGE image






               Richard Miller was an American artist that gained acclaim in the Parisian art world.  Born in St. Louis Missouri on March 22, 1875 Miller was raised to have an appreciation of the fine arts.  When his appreciation turned into a desire for a career he enrolled in the St. Louis School of Fine Arts.  After completing his education in St. Louis, Miller moved to Paris.  In 1899 he enrolled at Julian's and studied there for the following year.  


               Like many young artists of his time he was greatly influenced by James Abbott McNeill Whistler.  Yet his stay in Paris began to affect his art and a definite similarity to the portraits of Claude Monet can be observed.  By 1910 Miller was painting women only, in pairs or singly specifically in interior settings.


               Sunny Morning  is a perfect example of such paintings.  It shows a female figure in a leisurely position looking at her necklace.  The painting is created in soft hues mostly pastel and the lighting creates an affect of early morning sunlight.  The painterly strokes are reminiscent of the Impressionist movement.  The figure seems to be contemplating the jewelry and has focused all attention on the object between her fingers. It is a very delicate scene that evokes a soothing feel when viewed.  


               Miller was highly respected in French circles and was made a Knight of the French Legion of Honor.  His paintings were purchased by friends, artists, and government offices, this displayed his wide appeal during his career.  Richard Miller died in 1943 at the age of 67 while living in Provincetown, Massachusetts.  His death marked a great loss for the other American artists of his time.  


ADDITIONAL LINKS







  Painting












The objects and material in this exhibition were gathered together, researched and largely written about by students in the seminar "Art and Artists" conducted in the Fall semester, 1997, by Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe, Professor of Art History in the Department of Art History at Sweet Briar College in Virginia, 24595 USA. Invaluable assistance was provided by Rebecca Massie Lane, Director of Galleries and the Arts Management Program, who in turn was assisted by Dana Lee Bordvick '98.