Stettheimer depicts herself—paintbrush and palette in hand—on the rightmost panel of this folding screen. She is joined by her three siblings, who are also rendered with symbols indicating their interests and personalities. Henrietta poses with a quill pen signifying her profession as an author. Caroline, the head of the family’s social affairs, wears an elegant gown. Dressed in sporting clothes, their brother Walter trains two dogs. While Stettheimer exhibited her paintings and decorative works during her lifetime, she preferred to live with them as opposed to selling them. Displayed in the artist’s apartment, this screen served a dual-purpose: it functioned as a utilitarian object and as an artwork that exemplifies Stettheimer’s unique vision of modern portraiture.
Gallery label from 2020
