CM: William Abbott Cheever's three quarter Portrait of Frances Rich evokes the sitter's energetic character as sculptor. The twisting off-axis of the bust and the head are expressions of "contrapposto", the challenging alternative to the stiffly static frontal pose. This gives the figure a more dynamic appearance. Rich's body is used to express her disposition of pathos for art. She is shown in movement from a high vantage point. Her gaze focuses somewhere away from the viewer, perhaps towards an artwork worthy of her attention. She wears a short sleeve dress that allows her hands to move freely in space. The juxtaposition of the warm flesh tones and drapery against a cold background also contributes to the portrait's sportsmanlike character.
[Megakles Rogakos 01/2009]
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
ROGAKOS, MEGAKLES Frances Rich - La Gazelle 2010 The American College of Greece - ACG Art, Athens
