On View
On viewObject number1960/1.11
Portrait of a Lady in Black
Artist
Nina Belle Ward
(American, 1885-1944)
Date1912
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensionsframe: 40 3/4 × 33 1/4 × 2 in. (103.5 × 84.5 × 5.1 cm)
canvas: 35 × 27 in. (88.9 × 68.6 cm)
canvas: 35 × 27 in. (88.9 × 68.6 cm)
Credit LineGift of A. Pitzer Ward
Exhibition History"Early Michigan Paintings," Kresge Art Center, Michigan State University (Nov. 1976 - Sept. 1977).
"70 Years, 70 Works from the KIA Permanent Collection," KIA (Nov. 19, 1994 - Feb. 10, 1995).
On loan to Saginaw Art Museum (June 10, 1997 - Aug. 12, 1998).
"Lasting Legacy: A Collection for Kalamazoo," Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, Michigan (Sep. 6, 2014 - Jan. 4, 2015).
"Rediscovering Nina Belle Ward," Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, Michigan (May 16 - August 23, 2015).
"Unveiling American Genius," KIA Permanent Collection Exhibition, Traditional, Markin, Nay and Groos Galleries (March 1, 2021 - December 31, 2023).
Label TextA young, elegant woman glances askance at the viewer while her long fingers play gracefully with her string of pearls. She is richly dressed, from her jaunty black hat to her white lace blouse. But she has an enigmatic expression on her face, one that follows a person around the room. Coy and mysterious, she captivates and entrances the viewer.
Nina Belle Ward was a promising student at the prestigious Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (1907-12). Lady in Black was most likely completed in her final year at the academy. At the time of her death, Nina Belle Ward was fondly remembered as a dedicated art teacher, both at Kalamazoo Central High School and at the fledgling Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.
