Madge Tennent
British, naturalized American, 1889-1972
High Noon, 1940
Oil on canvas
82 x 42 ¼ "
Tennent Art Foundation Collection
Built up in vigorous layers of paint, this smartly dressed Hawaiian maiden enjoys a leisurely stroll along a sun-drenched thoroughfare. Brilliant colors abound: the shocking pink of her billowy holoku,...
Built up in vigorous layers of paint, this smartly dressed Hawaiian maiden enjoys a leisurely stroll along a sun-drenched thoroughfare. Brilliant colors abound: the shocking pink of her billowy holoku, lipstick, and lei haku; the ochre of her flesh; the dark forms of her top hat and parasol; and her mossy surroundings. Outlined with the artist’s signature cobalt line and composed of swirling forms, the voluptuous figure invokes the iconic archetype that Tennent perfected during the early 1930s. Here as in her other works, Tennent celebrates Hawaiian femininity in all its graceful expressions, be it dancing hula under the sun, weaving lei near the docks, or meandering among the palms.