Paper

Student Artwork Guide

Music

Name Class Date

Thomas Wilmer Dewing, Music. Public domain.

The facts

Artist
Thomas Wilmer Dewing wikioo.org/en/artists/thomas-wilmer-dewing/
Artist’s dates
1851 – 1938
Movement
Tonalism Quiet landscapes wrapped in mist and shadow, built from a narrow range of closely related tones.

In context

Music — Thomas Wilmer Dewing

When might this have been painted?

  1. 1850
  2. 1860
  3. 1870
  4. 1880
  5. 1890
  6. 1900
  7. 1910
  8. 1920
  9. 1930

Shaded: the lifetime of Thomas Wilmer Dewing (1851–1938)

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: wikioo.org/en/art/similar/thomas-wilmer-dewing-music-8LT9DS-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Walnut #886631

    Catalogued palette

    • #886631
    • #A27A39
    • #6F4E2E
    • #BB9353
    Palette
    Dark The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Walnut
    Intensity
    Vivid How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Serene How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Unified Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Balanced How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Clear Color Presence How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Thomas Wilmer Dewing

    Born in Boston, United States of America

    **early life and training**

    thomas wilmer dewing, an american painter, was born on may 4, 1851, in boston, massachusetts. his artistic journey began with a lithographic apprenticeship, which later led him to the prestigious académie julian in paris, where he studied under gustave boulanger and jules lefebvre starting from 1887.

    **artistic style and notable works**

    dewing's artistic style is characterized by his tonalist paintings, a genre deeply rooted in english aestheticism. his preferred subjects were aristocratic women, often depicted in moody, dreamlike surroundings, playing instruments or engaging in introspective activities. woman in black: portrait of maria oakey dewing (1887), a poignant oil on panel, showcases his wife, an accomplished painter with extensive formal art training. *lady in gold* (1912), now at the brooklyn museum, exemplifies his mastery of capturing the essence of his subjects.

    **teaching and associations**

    dewing was a founding member of the ten american painters in 1898 and taught at the art students league of new york. his association with the society of landscape painters, founded in 1899, further solidified his position within the tonalist movement.

    **legacy and collections**

    * the freer gallery of art at the smithsonian institution has a dedicated room for dewing's works. * notable collectors include john gellatly and charles lang freer.

    view thomas wilmer dewing's collection on AllPaintingsStore

    more on thomas dewing at wikipedia

    explore the freer gallery of art at the smithsonian institution for more tonalist masterpieces.

    **later life and death**

    dewing's artistic output declined after 1920. he passed away in new york on november 5, 1938, leaving behind a legacy of captivating, ethereal portraits that continue to intrigue art enthusiasts. *key works and collections available for reproduction at AllPaintingsStore: the white dress woman in black: portrait of maria oakey dewing lady in gold discover the world's most famous paintings with AllPaintingsStore's extensive collection

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Music

    wikioo.org/en/art/download/thomas-wilmer-dewing-music-8LT9DS-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Dewing, Thomas Wilmer. Music. n.d., https://wikioo.org/en/art/thomas-wilmer-dewing-music-8LT9DS-en/
    APA
    Dewing, Thomas Wilmer (n.d.). Music [Painting]. https://wikioo.org/en/art/thomas-wilmer-dewing-music-8LT9DS-en/
    Chicago
    Thomas Wilmer Dewing. Music. n.d. https://wikioo.org/en/art/thomas-wilmer-dewing-music-8LT9DS-en/
    Harvard
    Dewing, Thomas Wilmer (n.d.) Music. Available at: https://wikioo.org/en/art/thomas-wilmer-dewing-music-8LT9DS-en/

    Look closely

    Music — Thomas Wilmer Dewing

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 2 — do you agree?)
    4. Our catalogue files this work under: music. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    5. Look back at Comedia (1894), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.