Girl Arranging Her Hair

Abbott Handerson Thayer, born Boston, MA 1849-died Dublin, NH 1921 · 1918-1919

Alma Wollerman Thayer was the wife of Abbott Thayer's son, Gerald, and mother of Thayer's grandchildren. She was one of his favorite models, and he spoke of his obsession with her sensual features. He created multiple versions of this composition, but claimed that he had never painted anything to compare with this Botticelli-like Alma head (Prelinger, American Impressionism: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2000).