A Glimpse of Girlhood

Since the times of Ancient Greece, artists have been fascinated by the “in-between”—that elusive moment between stillness and movement, thought and action, youthfulness and maturity. And few in-betweens have provided as much inspiration as that of girlhood. A girl is a fascinating subject, after all. So often soft, serene, and graceful; so often concealing a rebellious spirit that defies the conventions of her sex. The girls depicted here are not all the same: they vary in color, place, and time. But they’re all bound together by the paradoxes they embody: vulnerability and nonchalance, order and rebellion, imagination and dissolution.

This collection of paintings, from the latter half of the 19th century to mid-20th century, invites viewers to explore the paradoxes of girlhood. Why do these girls seem so troubled? Why are they all trapped inside on such a beautiful day? What are they thinking about? Or are they just all very, very bored? Be intrigued by the juxtaposition of prim interiors and melancholy subjects, be unsettled by budding sexuality, and marvel at the ambiguity of female adolescence. But above all, don’t go looking for an explanation. Because these girls, whether gazing off lost in thought, or gracing onlookers with a lukewarm glance, won’t answer your questions. They’re much too cool for that.

The Brooding Woman (Te vahine fa'atūruma)

Paul Gauguin

1891

Oil on canvas

35.9 x 27 in.

Worcester Art Museum

In this colorful painting by Gauguin, a shapely Tahitian woman sits criss-crossed on the floor. Through an open doorway behind her, a porch with a sitting dog is visible, and beyond it a figure rides a horse outside. In the foreground sits a hat, some fruit, and a bundle of burning herbs. The young woman wears a thin white garment and props her chin on her hand, apparently pensive or “brooding”—as the title of the work suggests.

Julie Daydreaming

Berthe Morisot

1894

Oil on canvas

25.2 x 21.26 in.

Private Collection

Berthe Morisot paints her daughter Julie, age sixteen, in this portrait. Julie’s youthful elegance in a flowy white gown is a stark contrast to the dark brown backdrop, and she almost seems to emit a blue-green glow. Her chestnut hair falls in loose waves down her back and over her shoulders, and one of her hands lightly cups her cheek, the other lying open on her lap. Her almond eyes peer lackadaisically at her observer, making her appear haughty, or perhaps just blasé.

Kept In

Edward Lamson Henry

1889

Oil on canvas

18.5 x 22.75 in.

Fenimore Art Museum

In this piece, American artist E.L.Henry depicts a young black girl alone in her schoolroom. She wears a red dress and shabby black stocking with a hole exposing her knee. The wood-panelled room appears worn, and school things are strewn about, including a forgotten book that lies open on the floor. The girl sits back on a blue bench, head resting on her hands, and gazes out the window as if longing to join those outside.

Little Girl in a Blue Armchair

Mary Cassatt

1878

Oil on canvas

35.25 x 51.13 in.

National Gallery of Art

Little Girl in a Blue Armchair is one of Mary Cassatt’s first impressionist works. Her young subject slouches on a silky, patterned blue chair, joined by a tiny resting dog on the chair opposite. The room the two inhabit is full of similar blue furniture, illuminated by the light coming through thinly-veiled windows. The little girl, dressed in white lace and tartan, rests with a hand behind her head—seemingly restless, or perhaps taking a break from the goings-on of the day.

Clarissa

Childe Hassam

1912

Oil on canvas

31.5 x 28.3 in.

Private Collection

A little girl sits alone in an elegant yellow foyer. Pots of yellow flowers sit atop a bookcase and a wooden side table, and a few paintings adorn the walls. The young Clarissa wears a simple white frock, and her short auburn hair is adorned with two bows. Her feet dangle off of a mahogany chair, and a single yellow flower is held, halfheartedly, by her side. Clarissa’s face is mostly hidden from view—her gaze is instead fixed toward the dim staircase in the back of the scene, its focus unknown.

Thérèse Dreaming

Balthus (Balthasar Klossowski)

1938

Oil on canvas

59 x 51 in.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art - 1999.363.2

Thérèse Blanchard, a frequent model of Balthus’, is seen here in a very relaxed, and one might say provocative, position. She sits back on a satin green pillow, one of her legs propped up on her seat—blatantly exposing her underwear and inner thighs. Her hands rest on top of her head, and her face puts off a healthy, youthful glow. Her surroundings seem carefully arranged, and a grey cat crouches in the foreground of the scene, lapping up milk from a saucer. Thérèse eyes are closed, and her brow seems almost furrowed, as if she is troubled by some incomprehensible thought.