Florine Stettheimer Exhibit “Painting Poetry” At The Jewish Museum In NYC
Who was Florine Stettheimer?
Florine Stettheimer was an American artist, painter, and poet who lived from 1871 to 1944. She was born on August 29, 1871, in Rochester, New York, and spent most of her life in New York City. Stettheimer was part of the early 20th-century avant-garde art scene and is known for her distinctive and highly original artistic style.
Florine Stettheimer came from a wealthy and culturally prominent family. Her father was a successful banker, and her mother hosted a lively and influential salon frequented by artists, writers, and intellectuals. This artistic and intellectual environment greatly influenced Stettheimer’s development as an artist and poet.
Stettheimer began her formal art training in New York and later traveled to Europe to study in Paris. Her early works were influenced by the European modernist movements she encountered, such as Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. However, she developed a unique style that blended elements of modernism with whimsical, dreamlike imagery and vivid colors.
Stettheimer’s paintings often depicted scenes of New York City’s cultural and social life, capturing the atmosphere of her time. She was particularly interested in portraying the lives of women, often using her friends and family members as subjects in her paintings. Her works are characterized by their intricate details, theatrical compositions, and a touch of satire and humor.
Despite her artistic talent, Florine Stettheimer’s work did not receive much recognition during her lifetime. She chose to remain private and held only one solo exhibition during her lifetime, which was in 1916. It was not until after her death that her work gained wider appreciation and recognition.
In addition to her painting, Stettheimer was a prolific poet. She wrote a significant amount of poetry throughout her life, exploring themes of love, art, and social commentary. Her poetry, like her paintings, is known for its wit and originality.
Today, Florine Stettheimer is considered an important figure in American modernism, known for her contributions to the development of avant-garde art in the early 20th century. Her paintings are held in various museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, and continue to be admired for their unique vision and artistic expression.
Florine Stettheimer Painting Poetry – A Jewish Museum’s New Buzzing Exhibition
The Jewish Museum’s latest exhibition, Florine Stettheimer: Painting Poetry is bursting with insight into early 20th century decadence and interior design. Born into a wealthy Jewish family, Florine was immersed in luxury interiors, so it is no surprise that her paintings are packed with decor. Stettheimer’s unique gaze on high society New York is as rich in detail as it is in symbolism, and of course, we couldn’t help but notice the rugs.
Below are three highlights from Florine Stettheimer: Painting Poetry, where she’s payed close attention to the textile art within her art. Discover what kind of rugs Stettheimer may have depicted and how you can recreate the look with a gorgeous antique or vintage piece from the Nazmiyal collection. And if you are in town, we highly recommend going to see these beautiful paintings in person, for photographs hardly do them justice.
Heat, Florine Stettheimer, 1919.
Florine Stettheimer’s Heat is one of her greatest masterpieces for all of its metaphoric wonder. Depicting her mother, sisters, and herself in the height of summer, we can’t even be sure if it is in fact a rug in the foreground of the painting or not, but we would like to think it is… :) … And if that is the case, the red on red monochromatic mastery of the carpet reminds us of our Large French Art Nouveau rug, also made around the time of the painting, in the early 20th century.
Portrait Of My Sister, Carrie W. Stettheimer, Florine Stettheimer, 1923
Stettheimer’s extraordinary depiction of her sister Carrie W. Stettheimer captures the whimsical decadence of French Rugs so beautifully. We love the attention she invested in the details of the rug. See an example of Savonnerie Rugs from our collection below.
Barron De Meyer, Florine Stettheimer, 1923
While the round rug in Florine’s painting of Barron De Meyer is likely of a different origin, the Scandinavian Rug below is of the same deep marine hue, and was likely made around the same time as the one pictured, somewhere in the early 20th century.