Howard Gardiner Cushing (Boston, 1869 - 1916, New York)
The Shower of Gold (Ethel Cochrane Cushing), 1908
Oil on canvas, 76.5 x 64 cm (30 1/8 x 25 3/16 in.)
This oil painting depicts a woman in a dressing gown, her waist length golden-red hair glistening in the sunlight. The woman is shown from her mid-torso up, clothed in a loose gown patterned in light blue and gold flecks, which she holds together with her right hand at her chest. She is standing in front of a narrow strip of dark wall and leans slightly in front of a window filled with light and a serene view of a blue body of water and pink and blue sky. The woman’s golden-red hair is swept to the right side of her head falling over her right shoulder, flaring out and illuminated by the strong light behind her. She looks downward, as if in deep thought, her widely-set, narrow eyes and straight, full pink lips set off against her light skin.
Blue Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.