NORFOLK, VA. – Journey to a transformative period in American art and celebrate the talent, resilience and impact of artists who were often overlooked in “Susan Watkins and Women Artists of the Progressive Era,” on view at the Chrysler Museum of Art through January 11. The exhibition features approximately 75 works by more than
20 artists, including Susan Watkins, Lilla Cabot Perry, Minerva Chapman and Anna Elizabeth Klumpke.
Watkins’ (American, 1875-1913) remarkable achievements anchor the exhibition. The painter exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon and earned praise from American art press, both uncommon feats for women artists of the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. Her career was steeped in the values of her time yet defined by her distinctly personal vision. Though her life ended prematurely at age 38, her story offers a compelling window into the social and professional context of the transatlantic artistic world that shaped her and her contemporaries. “‘Susan Watkins and Women Artists of the Progressive Era’ provides a fresh perspective on a transformative moment in American art history,” said
Susan Watkins {American, 1875-1913), “A Young Girl {Daughter of Walter S. Martin),” 1910, oil on canvas. Chrysler Museum of Art, bequest of Goldsborough Serpell, 46.76.135.
Corey Piper, the Chrysler Museum’s Brock curator of American art. “This exhibition highlights the innovation and determination of Watkins and her peers, who forged remarkable careers despite the barriers they faced. By showcasing their work, we hope to inspire a deeper understanding of their impact and to broaden the narrative of American art to include these long-overlooked contributions.”
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Featured Image Caption: Susan Watkins (American, 1875–1913), “Portrait of Goldsborough Serpell at Capri,” ca. 1906. Oil on board Chrysler Museum of Art, Bequest of Goldsborough Serpell, 46.76.149