Yvonne Suys (1883–1925)

1890
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 829
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.
Khnopff used a small black-and-white photograph as source material for his portrait of Yvonne Suys, the seven-year-old daughter of an influential Belgian family. The painting is largely faithful to the photograph, although the artist made the girl appear older and emphasized the doll-like delicacy of her features. He exchanged the rose that she holds in the photo for a pink-red iris, a modern varietal. Khnopff, an accomplished portraitist, depicted numerous children from wealthy families as he sought to cultivate clients.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Yvonne Suys (1883–1925)
  • Artist: Fernand Khnopff (Belgian, Grembergen 1858–1921 Brussels)
  • Date: 1890
  • Medium: Oil on wood
  • Dimensions: 28 3/8 × 18 7/8 in. (72.1 × 47.9 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: The Hearn Family Foundation
  • Object Number: L.2025.1
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings