A German Poem

Artist Claude Raguet Hirst (American, 1855 - 1942)

Daten.d.

MediumOil on canvas

Dimensions7 x 9 in.

ClassificationsOil Painting

Credit LineThe Rita K. Heimann Collection of American Art

Object number2012.48.14

DescriptionClaude Raguet Hirst, born Claudine, was considered a pioneer artist of the 19th and 20th centuries. She is best known for her intimate still-lifes as one of the first women to master the American trompe l’oeil (French for “fool the eye”) painting style. Inspired by her husband William C. Fitler’s unorganized habits of leaving his pipes laying around, she depicted men’s interest such as pipes and newspapers. To gain further access to the male-dominated art world, Hirst abbreviated her first name to “Claude” to avoid potential patrons overlooking her for being a woman artist. Eventually, she introduced her own antique books into the compositions, often specifically identifiable to the viewer by title and author, who was usually a woman. Hirst’s subject matter captured the attention of men and women alike, making her a successful navigator of the gendered art world.

Small in scale, A German Poem represents objects typical of Hirst’s subject matter. In a darkly lit room sit a pipe and bowl with matches. Centrally located, an antique book lies open on a desk, evoking a recent human presence.

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