Guess the Artist #42 | Detroit Institute of Arts

Painting of a woman in a black dress, engraver, working, art history

After a recent trip to Michigan AND a trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts, I have a fresh batch of Guess the Artists posts coming up. What a great visit. They are in the midst of a renovation right now but there is still plenty to see. The Contemporary section and a few others were closed, but beginning early August they’ll have several paintings from each of those collections so you won’t miss out.

Do you know who the artist is on this one? If so, comment on this post or on social media – If not, check below for the answer… Good luck!

So much detail in this painting. I love the patina on the walls and floor, the brick, the light coming through the window. I’m impressed by this painting. It was stunning to see in person. Don’t miss the ABOUT THE ARTWORK section below (from the DIA website), so interesting!

A N S W E R : (Info via DIA.ORG)

Title: The Wood Engraver

Artwork Date: 1882
Artist: Charles Frederic Ulrich
Life Dates: 1858 – 1908
Nationality: American
Medium: Oil on cradled panel
Dimensions: Overall: 18 5/8 × 10 1/8 inches (47.3 × 25.7 cm)
Classification: Paintings
Department: American Art before 1950
Credit: Museum Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad H. Smith Memorial Fund

About the Artwork

A woman in a black dress sits at a cluttered studio table fully absorbed in her work. Light filters through the stained curtain, glitters in a glass mug of water, and illuminates the tools of her trade as an engraver.

Charles Frederic Ulrich created this rare depiction of a woman artist engaged in the commercial practice of wood engraving. During the nineteenth century, affordable wood engravings were used to reproduce printed images in fast-paced magazine and newspaper publishing. Women artists embraced engraving as a career that, unusually, offered them salaries comparable to those of their male peers.

DIA WEBSITE | Instagram

I love when paintings have extra information about the artist or the work. The details are so interesting to me. If you ever get a chance to visit the Detroit Institute of Arts, I highly recommend it!