Irish Girl (Mary Lavelle) 1913

Robert Henri painted this oil on canvas portrait, "Irish Girl (Mary Lavelle)", as part of his project of painting everyday people. Henri, as a member of the Ashcan School, sought to democratize art by focusing on ordinary subjects and the realities of urban life. By painting immigrants such as Mary Lavelle, Henri challenged the art world's traditional focus on the elite and idealized. The portrait captures a sense of quiet dignity, in direct opposition to the more negative stereotypes of Irish immigrants circulating at the time. Henri’s artistic choices—the dark background, the bright red shirt, and Mary’s gaze to the side—draw attention to the sitter as an individual. The way Henri applied paint is also very important. Here you can see the way he wants to focus on the real, not the polished. Examining Henri's writings and the social context of early 20th-century America helps us understand this painting as a statement about representation, class, and the changing face of American society.