Metropolitan Museum of Art Unveils Free Image Access to Online Works

By Todd R. Weiss

French painter Edouard Manet painted this couple on a sailboat in 1874 on the Seine near Argenteuil, France, in this oil painting on canvas, titled “Boating.” It was donated to the Met by Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer in 1929.

Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh painted this portrait, titled “L’Arlésienne: Madame Joseph-Michel Ginoux (Marie Julien, 1848–1911),” while he was staying in Arles, France, where he created many of his works. Painted 1888 to 1889, the oil on canvas portrait is one of two he created of this woman, who was the proprietress of the local Cafe de la Gare.

This elaborate costume, consisting of a decorative helmet and an embroidered tunic was made 1788 to 1790 by Halle dit Mercier, a Parisian costume maker, according to the museum. The materials used in the costume include linen, paper mache, bole, gold leaf, graphite, silk, cotton, metal coils and spangles, and metallic yarn.

In this painting, “Study of a Young Woman,” Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer captured the intriguing lighting, fabric and soft skin tone of its subject, as was common in Dutch paintings of its time. The oil on canvas work was painted 1665 to 1667.

This striking sculpture of the head of the god Amun dates back to the reign of Tutankhamun, 1336 to 1327 B.C., according to the museum. It is probably from Upper Egypt and is made from granodiorite.

American painter John Singer Sargent painted this classic oil painting, “Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau),” 1883 to 1884. He originally painted it with the right strap of the gown slipping from the woman’s shoulder but later repainted it with the strap in a vertical position due to criticism, according to the museum.

This marble sculpture, “Jain Svetambara Tirthankara in Meditation,” dates back to the Solanki period in the first half of the 11th century in India. The sculpture was probably intended to represent Mahavira, the historical founder of Jainism, a religious observance, according to the museum.

French painter Georges Seurat’s signature painting, “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte,” is on display in the Art Institute of Chicago, but a smaller “Study for a Sunday on La Grande Jatte” is on display in the Metropolitan Museum. Painted in 1884 in oil on canvas, this final study for his signature work is a gem.

Made of ivory, iron and copper, this “Queen Mother Pendant Mask: Iyoba” dates from the 16th century in Nigeria. It is believed to have been created for the King or “Oba” Esigie, the king of Benin, to honor his mother, Idia, according to the museum.

In this 1878-commissioned oil painting, “Madame Georges Charpentier (Marguérite-Louise Lemonnier, 1848-1904) and Her Children, Georgette-Berthe (1872-1945) and Paul-Émile-Charles (1875-1895),” French painter Auguste Renoir portrayed a mother and her two children who were posed with their family dog. The son (sitting on the chair) is dressed just like his sister, as was the custom at the time, according to the museum.

This vibrantly colored Flemish tapestry portrays “The Triumph of Fame” and is a Renaissance-era tapestry that dates back to approximately 1502 to 1504, according to the museum. It is made of wool and silk and exhibits Fate’s triumph over death.

Carved from cream-colored marble, this relief sculpture of “The Children of Jacob H. Schiff” by Irish-born sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens is delicate and sensitive in its portrayal of the children. It was created 1906 to 1907.

This work, “Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece),” which was created in the early Netherlandish style in the workshop of Robert Campin, was painted in oil on oak 1427 to 1432, according to the museum. The center panel focuses on the Virgin in prayer while the other panels portray Joseph, a woman and a messenger.