Interior
Artist
Susan Watkins
(American, 1875 - 1913)
CultureAmerican
Date1908
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions26 1/2 × 21 1/4 in. (67.3 × 54 cm)
Overall, Frame: 34 × 28 3/4 × 2 1/8 in. (86.4 × 73 × 5.4 cm)
Overall, Frame: 34 × 28 3/4 × 2 1/8 in. (86.4 × 73 × 5.4 cm)
InscribedSigned lower right
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number2005.14
Not on view
Label TextSusan Watkins
American (1875-1913)
French Interior, 1908
Oil on canvas
Museum purchase 2005.14
French Interior depicts part of a well-appointed room, presumably in a Parisian flat. Featuring a handsome, richly veneered chest displaying an array of fine objects, the painting showcases Watkins' ability to capture a range of materials and textures, from wood and marble to ceramic, bronze, and glass. The picture directly relates to one of Watkins' most famous Parisian interior scenes, The Engravings, also from 1908 (see illustration), and was clearly created as part of her work on that slightly larger composition.
Exhibition History"Behind the Seen: The Chrysler's Hidden Museum," Large Changing Gallery, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va., October 21, 2005 - February 19, 2006.
"Women of the Chrysler: a 400-Year Celebration of the Arts," Large Changing Gallery, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va., March 24 - July 18, 2010.
"American Treasures at the Willoughby-Baylor House," Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, January 2 - December 1, 2013.
"Susan Watkins and Women Artists of the Progressive Era," Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN, July 13 - September 28, 2025; Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, October 17, 2025 - January 11, 2026.Published ReferencesShannon's Fine Art Auctioneers, _April 28, 2005 Auction_, Milford, Conn., http://www.shannons.com/auct_q_cat3.htm, Lot 112, http://www.shannons.com/auct_q/det/112.jpg.
