Magnolia

James Jebusa Shannon

1899 · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

This painting shows the London-based artist’s daughter holding a sprig of magnolia blossoms, which in Victorian literature were often a sign of a character’s love of nature. The costume and the stylized fleur-de-lis motifs that decorate the green backdrop suggest a somewhat contrived presentation of the girl as a “dress-up” princess. The artist’s only child and one of his favorite models, Kitty Shannon (1887–1974) appears in many of his paintings. She later wrote several books, including an autobiography, published in 1933.

Artist

James Jebusa Shannon

Date

1899

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

George A. Hearn Fund, 1913