Sheldon

Lilian Westcott Hale
The Convalescent (1912)

 

A dreamy feeling pervades Lilian Westcott Hale's impressionist masterpiece, The Convalescent, at Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery. Loose brushwork, warm coloring, and graceful composition direct our attention to the painting's only detail - the alluring face of Rose Zeffler, a friend of the artist, who appears to be relaxing in bed. Her distant, empty gaze suggests she is lost in thought. Hale was known to have suffered bouts of fatigue, and the painting may be a subtle reflection on her condition. But it was fashionable for upper class women of the 19th century to rest in leisure. Zeffler's elegant pose is open to interpretation. Is she daydreaming…or recuperating? The Convalescent is an art treasure of Nebraska at Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery.