Artwork
The Passing of Summer
The Passing of Summer is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Harry Willson Watrous. It dates from 1912 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Harry Willson Watrous created *The Passing of Summer* in 1912, an oil painting now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Executed during his involvement with American Impressionism, the work presents a single female figure rendered with the subtle light effects typical of the period.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman seated sideways in a wooden chair, her back turned to the viewer. Dressed simply and with her hair pulled back, she rests a glass—containing olives and a stem—on a small table before her, suggesting a quiet, perhaps contemplative moment as the season changes.
Technique & Style
Watrous employs a restrained palette and soft chiaroscuro, allowing gentle shadows to define the figure’s relaxed posture. Light grazes the profile of her face, while the surrounding darkness recedes, emphasizing the chair and the solitary presence of the sitter.
History & Provenance
Trained in France before returning to the United States, Watrous produced this work amid his series of stylized depictions of sophisticated women. The painting entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s American art holdings.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Harry Willson Watrous (17 September 1857 – 10 May 1940) was an American visual artist who received an academic education in France.
