The Fencing Lesson [recto]

c. 1847-1849

Richard Caton Woodville

Associated Names
Richard Caton Woodville

Artist, American, 1825 - 1855

Three figures, a man, a woman, and a child, are depicted in a domestic setting. The man is seated on a carved wooden chair to the right center, facing slightly to the left. He has a mustache and short hair and is dressed in period clothing with a jacket and trousers. His hand rests on a cane or stick. Opposite him, a woman sits with her back to the viewer, wearing a long dress and a shawl, and her hair is tied up in a bun. Beside her is an infant or young child facing slightly toward the viewer, seated on another chair. The child standing on the floor wears a short coat, pants, and shoes, and appears to play while handing something to the seated man. A small, round table with a tablecloth and a tall glass or vase stands between the man and woman. The background shows an intricately sketched interior with visible arches and wooden beams, and light appears to filter through, casting shadows that define the room's ambiance.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

Associated Artworks

Three Figures by Stairs

Richard Caton Woodville

1847


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

William Woodville, VIII, Washington, DC; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1996; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1967

  • Richard Caton Woodville: An Early American Genre Painter, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland; Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Utica, New York; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia; Brooklyn Museum, New York, 1967-1968, no. 12, repro

1972

  • The Dusseldorf Academy and the Americans, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Utica, New York; National Collection of Fine Arts, Washington, DC; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia, 1972-1973, no. 149

2013

  • New Eyes on America: The Genius of Richard Caton Woodville, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland; Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina, 2013, pp. 95, 126, no. 15, fig. 61, repro

Wikidata ID

Q64620468

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