Kathleen

Henri's portrait of the young girl Kathleen Gallagher was painted in 1924 during one of the artist's many visits to Ireland's Achill Island. He first visited the area in 1913 and returned each year in the summers of 1924 through 1928 to reside at Corrymore, the house that he and his wife purchased on the island. He painted many portraits of the people there and was especially captivated by what he termed "the innocence and unconventional beauty of the children." Kathleen is portrayed with the rapid brushwork, bold pigments, and dark background that characterized Henri's work. His record book emphasized the hues he chose for the work -"hair yellow blond…green ribbon…. tie orange"- a reflection of his enthusiasm for the color formulas of Hardesty Maratta, who had developed a quasi-scientific system of color for artists. Henri's Irish portraits, painted with a rich, expressive vitality that transcends specific artistic style, are among the most memorable works of one of America's great art teachers and theorists.