Provenance

James Parmelee

American, 1855 - 1931

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The sculpture is an amphora vase with intricate detailing. It features a relief of a woman in classical attire and jewelry. The material appears to be dark metal, possibly bronze, with a smooth finish and a patina. It includes two handles designed as mythical horse-head creatures. The handles have detailed features such as eyes, ears, and decorative elements. The sculpture gives a sense of historical richness and craftsmanship.
Paul Manship, Vase, 1913, bronze, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2015.19.3683

Vase

Paul Manship · 1913 · bronze ·  Accession ID  2015.19.3683

From a low vantage point, we look up a steep, rocky mountainside at a towering mountain peak in the distance in this nearly square landscape painting. Painted with tones of cobalt and topaz blue, caramel and clay brown, mauve pink, lavender purple, ivory, and cream white, the rocks and mountain nearly fill this composition against a deep, crystal-blue sky dotted with a few white puffy clouds. Water trickles along the rocky ground into a white waterfall near the lower left corner. Vibrant green moss grows on some of the smaller rocks that form a diagonal line down to the lower right corner. Larger boulders are painted with denim blue and harvest yellow beyond the smaller rocks. The rocky landscape slopes dramatically up into the distance, where it meets the sheer cliff face of a back-lit monolith that nearly touches the top edge of the canvas. Brushstrokes are visible throughout, especially along the center for the middle distance. Light pours over the scene from the left, but some of the middle ground is cast into shadow, perhaps by unseen ridges.
John Singer Sargent, Simplon Pass, 1911, oil on canvas, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2014.79.31

Simplon Pass

John Singer Sargent · 1911 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  2014.79.31

We look slightly down onto and across a wide, boat-filled river under a cloudy sky at the far bank, which is lined with buildings, in this loosely painted, horizontal landscape. Four long, wooden boats are pulled up side-by-side to our right, so most of their prows are cropped by the right edge of the composition. Their amber-brown sails are tied up to the vertical masts and angled spars, which create a row of diagonal lines jutting into the painting from the right edge. The boats’ sterns are painted moss green, and the boat farthest from us has what could be a small dingy tethered off the back end. Several ghostly men and women stand below us, in the lower right corner, on a pecan-brown walkway low to the water. We can see through the people so the details are indistinct, but they all seem to look away from us except one person who looks our way, indicated with a touch of peach for a face. They wear long gowns and jackets or baggy shirts and trousers in tones of plum purple, caramel brown, light blue, or charcoal gray. In the middle of the river, a long, thin boat with a narrow, scarlet-red sail has drifted past them toward the left side of the composition. Two long strokes of cranberry red suggest more vessels on the water closer to the opposite shore. Low buildings painted in fawn and coffee brown, cherry red, cream, and tan line the far bank. The buildings become indistinct and fainter as they angle away from us into the distance. Bands of off-white clouds, some frothy and some wispy, fill the upper half of the painting. The sky is otherwise washed with violet purple, slate gray, and aquamarine blue. The river’s surface is smeared with the reflections of the sky, buildings, and boats.
James McNeill Whistler, Battersea Reach, c. 1863, oil on canvas, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2014.79.35

Battersea Reach

James McNeill Whistler · c. 1863 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  2014.79.35

This painting shows a large, cream-colored vase and a small white statue of a robed figure placed on a gray surface. Behind these objects is a wall mural depicting religious and mythological figures amidst clouds in a faded array of blues, reds, and browns. Details of the mural are hard to discern, as the colors are light against the tan wall. The cream vase is positioned slightly to the right of center, while the statue stands directly in front of it, towards the bottom of the painting. To the left is a small glass bowl.
Emil Carlsen, The Picture from Thibet, c. 1920, oil on canvas, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2014.136.63

The Picture from Thibet

Emil Carlsen · c. 1920 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  2014.136.63

The head and neck of a girl is drawn with layers of delicate, faint silverpoint lines on vertically oriented, cream-white paper. The girl is angled to our right and looks off in that direction with shaded eyes. She has broad, high cheekbones, a straight nose, and her full lips are closed with a faint suggestion of a smile and a dimple in the cheek we see. Her hair is parted down the middle and pulled loosely back and up. Her shoulders below the neck are sparsely sketched in. The drawing is done with fine, almost ghostly lines, which gives the portrait an ethereal, insubstantial look. The artist signed the drawing in the lower right corner, “T W Dewing.”
Thomas Wilmer Dewing, Head of a Girl, c. 1909, silverpoint on prepared wove paper, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2015.19.498

Head of a Girl

Thomas Wilmer Dewing · c. 1909 · silverpoint on prepared wove paper ·  Accession ID  2015.19.498

The image displays a harbor scene with moored ships. A boat named "Blue Jay" is close to the viewer, its bow angled slightly to the left. Other ships are visible along the dock, with various masts reaching into the sky. In the background are dome-topped buildings and a tall smokestack, creating a skyline silhouette. The watercolor brushwork is loose and fluid, depicting motion and reflection. The color scheme is soft, featuring blues, browns, earth tones, and hints of green.
Dora Louise Murdoch, Ships at the Dock, 1893, watercolor on wove paper mounted to paperboard, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2015.19.510

Ships at the Dock

Dora Louise Murdoch · 1893 · watercolor on wove paper mounted to paperboard ·  Accession ID  2015.19.510

The image shows a standing figure in full body. The person is slightly turned to the side, with their left arm hanging at their side and the right arm holding fabric or a garment. The facial features are partially obscured by shading, with curly hair peeking from under a cap or bonnet. The attire consists of a long-sleeved shirt, a short dark cape or shawl, a long skirt, and cloth shoes. The background is lightly sketched to suggest a wall or texture, with shadows to the right of the figure. The lower part of the sketch includes the artist's inscription and other annotations.
James McNeill Whistler, La Mère Gérard, 1858, etching in black on laid paper, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2015.19.514

La Mère Gérard

James McNeill Whistler · 1858 · etching in black on laid paper ·  Accession ID  2015.19.514

The sculpture features a reclining woman entangled with a powerful bull. The woman's body is partially covered with draped fabric, while her torso is exposed. The bull has prominent horns and a muscular build. The sculpture is crafted in a material resembling bronze with a brown and green patina finish. It is set on a sturdy, rounded base that appears to be made of a different material, perhaps marble. The figures appear lifelike and three-dimensional, showcasing their intertwined forms and textured surface.
Paul Manship, Europa and the Bull, 1924, bronze, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2015.19.3684

Europa and the Bull

Paul Manship · 1924 · bronze ·  Accession ID  2015.19.3684

The image displays an adult and a child next to an upright rectangular structure. The adult, a woman, is partially turned towards the child while the child faces the structure. The woman has light-colored hair covered by a blue shawl and is wearing a long light-colored dress. The child has short blond hair and is dressed in a white shirt with dark shorts. The background features green vegetation and hints of trees. The painting is created with a soft pastel art style, with gentle strokes conveying a dappled sunlight effect.
Julian Alden Weir, Watching the Bees, 1896, pastel and charcoal on wove paper, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2014.136.185

Watching the Bees

Julian Alden Weir · 1896 · pastel and charcoal on wove paper ·  Accession ID  2014.136.185

The sculpture depicts Charles Albert Coffin, as named at the base. It is a bas-relief sculpture showing him in profile facing left. The sculpture is cast in a brownish metal, likely bronze, giving it a polished appearance. He is shown wearing a suit, with facial features like a mustache and groomed hair. The sculpture has intricate details, particularly in his facial features and hair, creating a sense of realism and texture akin to a three-dimensional photograph.
Henry Hering, Charles Albert Coffin, 1911, bronze, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of James Parmelee, 1941), 2015.19.3692

Charles Albert Coffin

Henry Hering · 1911 · bronze ·  Accession ID  2015.19.3692