1907.2 Edwin Lord Weeks, Water Carriers of the Ganges


GENERAL DESCRIPTION  
This image of women collecting water from the sacred Ganges river was probably painted in France from detailed oil sketches composed on-site in India. The work belongs to a long tradition in 19th-century art of “exotic” scenes of life in other cultures made for the entertainment of Western audiences. Edwin Lord Weeks exhibited such scenes of Indian life at the Paris Salon throughout the 1880s and 1890s. Like many other artists of his generation, Weeks left the United States for France, where he studied in Paris with the famed painters Jean-Léon Gérôme and Léon Bonnat. From them, he absorbed a realist style combined with a strong sense of color. After travels to Spain and North Africa, Weeks journeyed to India in 1882, where he spent three extended stays over the next eleven years.

Excerpt from
William Keyse Rudolph, DMA label copy, 2005.

NOTES
Created c.  1885

Rebecca Singerman worked on this note.

Catalogue essays

Artist/designers
Weeks, Edwin Lord (American, 1849-1903)

Cultures

Geography 
Place of origin: Paris (France): TGN: 7008038
Depicted location: Ganges (river): TGN: 7001674
Depicted location: India (nation): TGN: 7000198

Process/materials

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms

RELATED OBJECTS 

PROVENANCE 
From 1907: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas Art Association Purchase [1]
[1] ] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.

AUDIO ASSETS 

VIDEO ASSETS

IMAGE ASSETS

WEB RESOURCES 

ARCHIVAL RESOURCES

FUN FACTS
  • Weeks not only painted and sketched in India, but also took photographs to record details for his paintings.

TEACHING IDEAS

RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1907.2

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General Description
 
This image of women collecting water from the sacred Ganges river was probably painted in France from detailed oil sketches composed on-site in India. The work belongs to a long tradition in 19th-century art of “exotic” scenes of life in other cultures made for the entertainment of Western audiences. Edwin Lord Weeks exhibited such scenes of Indian life at the Paris Salon throughout the 1880s and 1890s. Like many other artists of his generation, Weeks left the United States for France, where he studied in Paris with the famed painters Jean-Léon Gérôme and Léon Bonnat. From them, he absorbed a realist style combined with a strong sense of color. After travels to Spain and North Africa, Weeks journeyed to India in 1882, where he spent three extended stays over the next eleven years.

Excerpt from
William Keyse Rudolph, DMA label copy, 2005.

Fun Facts
  • Weeks not only painted and sketched in India, but also took photographs to record details for his paintings.

Archival Resources

Web Resources
 
Notes
Created c.  1885

Rebecca Singerman worked on this note.

Catalogue essays

Artist/designers
Weeks, Edwin Lord (American, 1849-1903)

Cultures

Geography 
Place of origin: Paris (France): TGN: 7008038
Depicted location: Ganges (river): TGN: 7001674
Depicted location: India (nation): TGN: 7000198

Process/materials

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms

RELATED OBJECTS 

PROVENANCE 
From 1907: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas Art Association Purchase [1]
[1] ] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.

AUDIO ASSETS 

VIDEO ASSETS

rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1907.2
tags
#draft
#completed
animals (Animalia kingdom): AAT: 300249395
women: AAT: 300025943
%Archived
bracelets (jewelry): AAT: 300045991
canvas: AAT: 300014078
oil paint: AAT: 300015050
@Russell
#routed
*European Art
water: AAT: 300011772
Paris (France): TGN: 7008038
realism (artistic concept): AAT: 300056550
reflections (perceived properties): AAT: 300056034
%copyedited_Chloe
carrying (physical activities): DMA
India (nation): TGN: 7000198
gold (color): AAT: 300311191
oil paintings (visual works): AAT: 300033799
River (river): TGN: 7001674
Dallas Art Association: DMA
orientalism: AAT: 300055784
anklet: AAT: 300209294
water transport: AAT: 300068773
armlets: AAT: 300045990
veils (headcloths): AAT: 300046128
water jars (vessels): DMA
Ganges (river): TGN: 7001674
saris (garments): AAT: 300209858
Weeks_Edwin Lord: ULAN: 500023842
source file
object_notes_1_d-0116.xml.nores