Abbott Fuller Graves (American, 1859–1936)
In a Field of Flowers (also known as Panier des Fleurs), 1890
Oil on canvas
48⅜ × 72 in.
Frame: 58¾ × 82¼ in.
Signed and dated lower left: “Abbott Graves, ’90”
Bathed in soft daylight, In a Field of Flowers presents a young woman seated amid a luxuriant garden, her white dress catching and reflecting the surrounding light. Graves’s loose, animated brushwork and high-keyed palette reveal the influence of French Impressionism, particularly the rural garden scenes he encountered during his years in France. The composition balances careful figure drawing with an immersive natural setting, emphasizing harmony between human presence and cultivated landscape.
Abbott Fuller Graves was a central figure among American painters working abroad in the late 19th century, many of whom gathered in Giverny near Claude Monet. Known especially for his garden scenes and luminous portrayals of women outdoors, Graves blended academic training with modern Impressionist techniques. Painted in 1890, In a Field of Flowers exemplifies his mature style, uniting decorative richness, atmospheric light, and a distinctly American interpretation of French Impressionism.
Provenance:
New England Library (until 1979); Vose Galleries, Boston (1979); Hunter Art Gallery, San Francisco (1980); Private collection, Monterey, California (1981); Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York; Terra Foundation of the Arts, Daniel J. Terra Collection (1987); Sotheby’s New York, May 25, 1995, lot 13; Private collection, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Exhibited:
Kennebunk, Maine, The Brick Store Museum, Abbott Fuller Graves, 1865–1915, 1979, illustrated p. 5
Literature:
Lasting Impressions: American Painters in France, 1865–1915, Giverny, 1992, illustrated p. 80, fig. 76
