At Mouquin's


At Mouquin's, 1905
William Glackens, American, 1870-1938
Oil on canvas, 122.4 x 92.1 cm (48 1/8 x 36 1/4 in.)
Signed, lower left: "W. Glackens"
Friends of American Art Collection, ARTIC #1925.295
Photo © Joan Ann Lansberry

(From info card)
"In this vivid painting, William Glackens portrayed the members of his circle at their favorite meeting place, the restaurant Mouquin's in New York City. Jeanne Mouquin, the proprietor's wife, shares a drink with James B. Moore, a wealthy playboy and restaurateur, while the artist's wife, Edith, and art critic Charles Fitzgerald are reflected in the mirror behind them. Jeanne Mouquin is the focal point of the composition; not only did Glackens paint her outfit with eye-catching brushwork, but he also used the mystery of her intent gaze to imbue the work with tension. By combining portraiture and genre painting, the artist avoided clear narrative conventions and helped usher in a mode of painting suited to the uncertainties of modern urban life. However, the unusually candid depiction of drinking was criticized for its perceived impropriety"


Detail of painting...