Deepening the ties to American and European impressionism to the Dixon Gallery & Gardens museum, based in Memphis, Tennessee, comes the new acquisition, In Rittenhouse Square, by Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones (1885-1968).
“The Dixon continues its mission of expanding its collection of works from women artists, making In Rittenhouse Square an ideal selection for the museum,” says Kevin Sharp, the Linda W. and S. Herbert Rhea director. “A piece of this quality is rare in the art market, as Sparhawk-Jones withdrew from the American art scene in 1913. Many of her works focus on Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square, which she saw as a representation of modern life that could be observed from a park bench.”
During her education at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Sparhawk-Jones was heavily inspired by her teacher, William Merritt Chase (1849-1916). It’s noted that the great force of his personality and talent left an indelible mark on Sparhawk-Jones.
Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones (1885-1968), In Rittenhouse Square, ca. 1905. Oil on canvas, 32½ x 323⁄8 in. Courtesy of Avery Galleries, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.In Rittenhouse Square is considered one of Sparhawk-Jones’s masterworks, and in many ways, exemplifies her signature artistic style. “The manual dexterity of her brushwork is striking, amplified by her close proximity to her subject, working nannies,” the museum shares. “Set in one of Philadelphia’s smarter districts, In Rittenhouse Square, like many of her paintings from this period, reveals a confluence of classes and female power—while the two nannies have charge of the two babies who accompany them, ultimately the children hold power over them...”
This masterpiece is currently available for viewing at Dixon Gallery & Gardens, along with two additional, newly acquired pieces that add incredible value to the museums holdings. Sharp adds, “These acquisitions are significant cultural assets, both to our museum and the city of Memphis, and with free admission to the Dixon, everyone will have ongoing access to these and all the other works of art on view here.” —
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