Martin Mower (Lynn, Massachusetts, 1870 - 1960, Vancouver)
The Croquet Party, about 1913
Oil on canvas, 33.3 x 41 cm (13 1/8 x 16 1/8 in.)
Seven women gather on a lawn in the center middle ground of this painting. They are dressed in long, full skirts of red, blue, white, or tan. Some reveal petticoats peeking out from under their skirts, some wear jackets or shawls, and most wear hats. None have distinct facial features. The lawn is a large expanse of green, and behind the women is a long, low rectangular building, painted in whites and pinks, with peaks at each end and several dark windows along the side. Tall trees rise up on either side of the building and reach the topmost edge of the painting. In the top center, above the building, a blue sky with tufts of white clouds illuminates the women and the lawn. The painting is signed in the lower right corner.
Yellow Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.