Provenance
Paul Rosenberg (1881–1959), probably acquired directly from the artist, Paris and New York, by 1937 until at least 1941 [Paris 1937; Chicago 1941 checklist]. Keith Warner, New York [Bretell 1986]. E. and A. Silberman Galleries, New York, by 1953 [this and the following, Sara Lee Corporation collection records, copy in curatorial file]; sold to Nathan Cummings (1896–1985), Chicago, 1953; given to his son, Herbert K. Cummings (1923–1992), Phoenix, about 1978; sold to Consolidated Foods Corporation (later, The Sara Lee Corporation), 1981; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1999.
Accession Number
153699
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
92 × 73 cm (36 1/4 × 28 3/4 in.)
Classification
oil on canvas
Credit Line
A Millennium Gift of Sara Lee Corporation
Background & Context
Background Story
Georges Braque's "Woman at an Easel (Green Screen)" (1936) is an oil on canvas that brings together two of Braque's central concerns: the representation of the human figure and the depiction of the artist's studio. The painting shows a woman—perhaps a model or the artist's muse—standing or seated before an easel, with a green screen providing a backdrop. The studio interior, with its easel, canvases, and artist's equipment, was a subject that Braque returned to throughout his career, offering endless opportunities for the exploration of space, form, and the relationship between the artist, the model, and the work of art. The green screen gives the painting its subtitle and provides a strong color accent. The figure is rendered in Braque's characteristic post-Cubist style: simplified, monumental, with flowing contours. The palette is rich and harmonious, with the green of the screen dominating the composition. This painting belongs to the period when Braque was at the height of his fame and producing some of his most personal works.
Cultural Impact
Braque's studio paintings of the 1930s are among the most personal works of his career, meditations on the act of painting and the relationships between the artist, the model, and the work of art.
Why It Matters
This painting of a woman at an easel captures the intimate world of the artist's studio, the green screen providing a bold color accent that animates the composition and focuses the viewer's eye.
