Harry Elkins Widener (1885-1912)

Gabriel Ferrier

Created:
Movement:
1916
None
key Notes:
Portraiture, Elegance
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Dimensions:
30 x 25 1/4 in. (76.2 x 64.1 cm)
medium:
Oil on canvas
Difficulty:
Master
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story of the work:

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Harry Elkins Widener (1885-1912) by Gabriel Ferrier

The painting "Harry Elkins Widener (1885-1912)" was created by Gabriel Ferrier in 1916 using oil on canvas. This portrait commemorates Harry Elkins Widener, a bibliophile and Harvard alumnus who perished in the Titanic disaster. The work is significant for its role in memorializing Widener, whose mother donated funds to establish the Widener Library at Harvard University in his honor. Gabriel Ferrier, a French artist known for his portraits and historical scenes, was a recipient of the Prix de Rome and a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts. His academic style and attention to detail are evident in this work, reflecting the solemnity and reverence appropriate for a memorial portrait. The painting serves as both an artistic tribute and a historical document, linking the personal tragedy of Widener's loss to the broader cultural legacy of the library that bears his name.

Description of the work:

Harry Elkins Widener (1885-1912) by Gabriel Ferrier

Created in 1916, Gabriel Ferrier's oil on canvas painting "Harry Elkins Widener (1885-1912)" is a portrait that captures the likeness of the American bibliophile and Titanic victim, reflecting the academic and formal style typical of early 20th-century portraiture. The artwork is housed in the Widener Library at Harvard University, serving as a tribute to Widener's legacy and his family's contributions to the institution.

Artwork Photograph Source:
Harvard Art Museum

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Harry Elkins Widener (1885-1912)