Music was painted by Thomas Dewing in 1900.

Where can I see Music?

Music is held by Brooklyn Museum.

What movement is Music?

Music is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Music

Thomas Dewing , 1900

Music is an unspecified painting by the Impressionist artist Thomas Dewing. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1900, *Music* is an oil painting by American artist Thomas Dewing. Executed during his mature period, the work presents a solitary woman poised to play a flute, set against a subdued green backdrop. The composition emphasizes quiet elegance and a restrained palette, characteristic of Dewing’s approach to interior scenes.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is a young woman dressed in a pale yellow‑green gown, seated with crossed legs and a flute poised at her lips. Her hair is neatly pulled back, and her expression conveys a serene concentration. The painting suggests a moment of private contemplation, linking the act of music-making with an atmosphere of calm introspection.

Technique & Style

Dewing employs a delicate handling of light and color, using thin, translucent layers to render the fabric’s softness and the muted background tones. The brushwork is restrained, aligning with the tonal subtlety of American Impressionism, while the overall composition remains balanced and harmonious, avoiding overt detail in favor of mood.

History & Provenance

*Music* entered the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, where it remains on view. Dewing, a founding member of the Ten American Painters, produced the work after his training in Paris and during his tenure as an instructor at the Art Students League of New York. The painting reflects his ongoing interest in genteel, interior subjects.

Context

At the turn of the twentieth century, Dewing’s work responded to both European Impressionist influences and a domestic American taste for refined, genteel subjects. His marriage to fellow artist Maria Oakey Dewing and his involvement with the Ten American Painters placed him within a network of artists seeking to define a distinctly American aesthetic while maintaining a cultivated, aristocratic sensibility.