Thomas Dewing // The Recitation

(1851 –1938) An American painter working at the turn of the 20th century, best known for his tonalist paintings, a sub-genre of American art that was rooted in English Aestheticism. Dewing's preferred vehicle of artistic expression is the female figure. Often seated playing instruments, writing letters, or engaged in other impassive actions and situated in gauzy, dreamy interiors, the figures remain remote and distant to the viewer. These scenes are infused with a subtle color harmonies that pervade the entire picture, setting tone and mood.