c. 1902

The Peacock (Portrait of a Woman)

American, 1868 - 1932

Painted in Paris, The Peacock displays Alfred Henry Maurer's transition from academic realism toward a more modernist style in both pattern and palette. Bold brushstrokes and bright colors accentuate the woman's dress and direct attention toward Maurer's medium as well as his subject. The woman's colorful attire and preoccupation with her appearance suit the plumage and pruning of the bird for which the painting is titled. The contrast between her clothing and the relative modesty of her home suggests that her aspirations do not match her means.