Artwork
The Last Price
The Last Price is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist John Charles Arter. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art, the work captures a moment of negotiation or transaction within a dimly lit shop.
John Charles Arter's 1898 oil painting, The Last Price, depicts an interior genre scene. Housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art, the work captures a moment of negotiation or transaction within a dimly lit shop. The composition features three figures engaged in an exchange, surrounded by various objects that suggest the nature of the establishment, offering a glimpse into everyday life at the turn of the century.
Subject & Meaning
The scene unfolds within a shop characterized by a stone wall and a hanging paper lantern, suggesting an East Asian setting. A woman in a vibrant, patterned kimono and dark hat stands behind a counter, presenting an item to a seated man. Another woman, cloaked in a red-brown robe and holding a folded fan, observes the interaction. The scattered fans and scrolls further define the shop's merchandise, hinting at a commercial exchange.
Technique & Style
Arter employed oil paint to render The Last Price, utilizing loose and expressive brushstrokes that impart a spontaneous, almost sketched quality to the composition. The artist's handling of light creates a dimly illuminated interior, enhancing the intimate atmosphere of the shop. Details such as the woman's colorful kimono with its red and green patterns are conveyed with a directness that prioritizes overall impression over meticulous finish.
History & Provenance
Created in 1898, The Last Price is an example of John Charles Arter's work as a painter of genre scenes. This oil painting is currently part of the collection at The Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is preserved for public viewing. Its acquisition contributes to the museum's holdings of late 19th-century artistic expressions, reflecting the cultural interests of the period.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
