Gertrude Abercrombie
(American, 1909-1977)
Lady with Black Braid, 1960
oil on masonite
signed Abercrombie and dated (lower right)
8 x 10 inches.
Property from the Private Collection of Cindy Peterson of Geneva, Illinois
We are grateful for the research conducted by Susan Weininger, Professor Emerita, Roosevelt University.

Provenance:
The Artist
Devorah Sherman Gallery, Chicago
Mrs. S.B. Seno, Park Ridge, Illinois, purchased from the above, 1961
Thence by descent to the present owner

Exhibited:
Chicago, Illinois, Devorah Sherman Gallery, October 4 - 31, 1960, no. 6

Lot Essay:
An image of a woman in an austere room, Lady with Black Braid is typical of Gertrude Abercrombie’s style and subject matter. The room is empty of anything except the lone figure and a black cat seated on a round, marble-topped Victorian table, a small ball on the floor between them. The simplified and flattened figure in a long dress, as well as the cat, ball, and table, make frequent appearances in the artist’s oeuvre, but never in the same configurations. Likewise, the brilliant turquoise of the dress is one of Abercrombie’s iconic colors. 

vA feature of Abercrombie’s work from the late 1930s, the spare room is a psychic self-portrait that reflects her loneliness and self-doubt, despite her outward confidence. In this painting, the room is not defined by a corner, a door, or a window, but simplified to a flat background and floor of a contrasting color. The subtlety of the color and the asceticism of the composition underscore the powerful connection between the woman and the cat, with whom she communicates through a typical hand gesture. 

The artist has used color to connect the elements of the artwork, from the brilliant dress of the woman; to the beautifully rendered ball on the floor; to the veins of the marble topping the table on which the cat sits. The cat’s eyes not only pick up the blue of the dominant color but also echo the shape of the woman’s as well. Additionally, the woman’s black braid and the extended, curved tail of the black cat resonate with each other, as does the cat’s tail and the shape of the base of the Victorian table. These elegant and subtle connections complicate the ostensible simplicity of the composition. 

Abercrombie’s use of these stylistic features underscores the spiritual connection between the cat and the woman, something we know she felt strongly in her own life. The mystery of their communication is what draws the viewer to the painting and lends a surreal quality to the work. The transformation of a seemingly mundane scene into an enigmatic and mesmerizing drama is the artist’s forte, and beautifully achieved in the present painting.

Framed: 14 x 16 inches.