Description
This painting depicts the enclosed backyard garden of a former priory—a religious building where monks and nuns live under the leadership of a prior—that Maurice Denis purchased in 1914. He transformed the building into a home for his large family and lived there for the last 30 years of his life. A woman dressed in black hangs linens to dry, so that—according to custom—they will be bleached by moonlight. The full moon casts a golden glow over the entire nighttime scene.
[SF1]Thanks for including this! [HL2]I’m learning! 😉
[SF1]Thanks for including this! [HL2]I’m learning! 😉
Provenance
Pierre Guéguen [1889-1965] Paris, France, by gift from the artist (1941–at least 1945); Claude R. Cueto, Paris, France (after 1945–1987); Claude R. Cueto, December 22, 1987, sold to the Sam Josefowitz Family (1987); The Sam Josefowitz Family, New York, NY, April 2010, sold to Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley (1987–2010); Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley, Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (2010–2020); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2020–)
Accession Number
2020.109
Medium
oil on canvas glued to cardboard
Dimensions
Unframed: 34.9 x 31.4 x 0.6 cm (13 3/4 x 12 3/8 x 1/4 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley Collection Gift