''Solitude'' is a painting by

Thomas Alexander Harrison Thomas Alexander Harrison (January 17, 1853, in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaOctober 13, 1930, in Paris, France), was an American marine painter who spent most of his career in France. Career He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in ...

. It is oil on canvas, 100 cm x 170 cm. The painting was acquired by the French state from the

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides Cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, ...

in 1893 and currently displayed at the

Musée d'Orsay The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) () is a museum in Paris, France, on the Rive Gauche, Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts railway station built from 1898 to 1900. The museum holds mai ...

in Paris.

History

After purchase the painting was displayed in the

Musée du Luxembourg The () is a museum at 19 in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Established in 1750, it was initially an art museum located in the east wing of the Luxembourg Palace (the matching west wing housed the Marie de' Medici cycle by Peter Paul Rubens) an ...

(1894-1922), then in the

Jeu de Paume ''Jeu de paume'' (, ; originally spelled ; ), nowadays known as real tennis, (US) court tennis or (in France) ''courte paume'', is a ball-and-court game that originated in France. It was an indoor precursor of tennis played without racquets, ...

(1922-1946) and then in the

Musée National d'Art Moderne The Musée National d'Art Moderne (; "National Museum of Modern Art") is the national museum for modern art of France. It is located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris and is housed in the Centre Pompidou. In 2021 it ranked 10th in the list of ...

(1946-1980). In 1980 it was assigned to the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

and put on display at the Musée d’Orsay. It was also exhibited in 2015 at the Collection Lambert in Avignon.

Description

In the middle of the painting, an oar, somehow catching the light, rests gently on the surface of a body of water. In the bow stands a naked figure with elbows raised and hands wedged behind their head. The pose, as well as complete nudity, suggests absolute tranquility. In the background there is an indication of a shoreline towards which the figure is looking. Below this line lies the darkness of the water; above it a subtle use of colour suggests some kind of shore covered in dense, shaded foliage, or possibly the interior of a huge cave. The surface of the water is faintly tinted red here and there, with brief flashes of a distant twilight. Above the scene a moon rises.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Solitude 1893 paintings Paintings in the Musée d'Orsay Oil on canvas paintings Allegorical paintings by American artists