1939.3 Amelia Urbach, The Letter


GENERAL DESCRIPTION  
This starkly painted rural scene resonates with dramatic tension, thanks to its title and the enigmatic nature of its central figure. What is the subject of the letter this young woman has received? Is it from a lover? Does it carry good news or unpleasant tidings? The artist gives no clues, lending ambiguity to her subject.

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Amelia Urbach attended high school in Dallas and studied for two years at the Dallas Art Institute with Olin Travis. In a 1950 letter to the Museum, she stated that she considered The Letter to be her most important work. Urbach spent much of her career working and exhibiting in San Antonio.

Excerpt from
William Keyse Rudolph, DMA label copy, 2008

NOTES
Created in 1939

Object File Reviewed


Catalogue essays

Artist/designers
Urbach, Amelia (1889-1969)

Cultures

Geography 

Process/materials
Oil on Masonite

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms

RELATED OBJECTS 

PROVENANCE 
From 1939: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Kiest Fund Prize, Tenth Annual Dallas Allied Art Exhibition, purchased from the artist [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

TEACHING IDEAS

RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1939.3

Category
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General Description
 
This starkly painted rural scene resonates with dramatic tension, thanks to its title and the enigmatic nature of its central figure. What is the subject of the letter this young woman has received? Is it from a lover? Does it carry good news or unpleasant tidings? The artist gives no clues, lending ambiguity to her subject.

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Amelia Urbach attended high school in Dallas and studied for two years at the Dallas Art Institute with Olin Travis. In a 1950 letter to the Museum, she stated that she considered The Letter to be her most important work. Urbach spent much of her career working and exhibiting in San Antonio.

Excerpt from
William Keyse Rudolph, DMA label copy, 2008

Fun Facts

Archival Resources

Web Resources
 
Notes
Created in 1939

Object File Reviewed


Catalogue essays

Artist/designers
Urbach, Amelia (1889-1969)

Cultures

Geography 

Process/materials
Oil on Masonite

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms

RELATED OBJECTS 

PROVENANCE 
From 1939: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Kiest Fund Prize, Tenth Annual Dallas Allied Art Exhibition, purchased from the artist [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
1939.3
tags
#draft
#completed
%copyedited_Gail
%Archived
human figures: AAT: 300404114
trees (plants): AAT: 300132410
*American Art
sky: AAT: 300263064
Masonite (TM): AAT: 300014205
@Russell
pitchers (vessels): AAT: 300194765
#routed
houses: AAT: 300005433
clouds: AAT: 300343840
shoes (footwear): AAT: 300046065
shirts (camisas / main garments): AAT: 300212499
roads: AAT: 300008217
skirts (garments / refrajo / corte): AAT: 300209932
gray (color): AAT: 300130811
fences (site elements): AAT: 300005044
mailboxes: AAT: 300003853
grasses (plants): AAT: 300132397
shawls (perraje / outwear): AAT: 300209991
reading: AAT: 300248178
dogs (animals): AAT: 300250130
letters: AAT: 300055055
correspondence: AAT: 300026877
scarves (costume accessories): AAT: 300046123
source file
object_notes_2_d-0012.xml.nores