Artwork
Refining Oil
Refining Oil is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Charles Webster Hawthorne. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts.
About this work
Overview
Refining Oil is a 1910 oil painting by Charles Webster Hawthorne, an American artist associated with the Cape Cod School of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a man and boy in a dimly lit room, engaged in a quiet, methodical task involving the transfer of a liquid between glass containers. The boy observes the man's actions with interest, creating a sense of intimacy and everyday life.
Technique & Style
Hawthorne's use of oil paint captures the atmosphere of the scene, with a focus on the play of light and the textures of the objects and clothing. The work is characteristic of American Impressionism, with its emphasis on capturing a moment of contemporary life.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the collection at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Webster Hawthorne (January 8, 1872 – November 29, 1930) was an American portrait and genre painter and a noted teacher who founded the Cape Cod School of Art in 1899.
