Gloria Vanderbilt

Harold Arlen, New York (acquired directly from the artist)

Jerry Arlen, New York (acquired by descent from the above in 1986)

Rita Arlen, New York (acquired by descent from the above in 1988)

Acquired by descent from the above in 2023 by the present owner

A renowned actress, author and designer, Gloria Vanderbilt’s work within the visual arts is best categorized for its simplified forms and vibrant color palettes. Fine art held an influential presence throughout Vanderbilt’s life, as she was primarily raised by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, an artist herself and the founder of the Whitney Museum in New York City. Vanderbilt began her formal training at the Art Students League of New York and held her first exhibition in 1948. Her success across several artistic industries and prominent family lineage made her a sensational public figure.

Vanderbilt’s Women on the Beach captures a tranquil summer day by the seashore. The diagonal alignment of the three women lead the viewer’s gaze towards the front-most figure, who’s position evokes the posture of the reclining nude portraits that are ubiquitous throughout Western art history. In comparison to her works on paper, Vanderbilt continues to portray the human figure in a highly stylized manner but uses a more soothing color palette. The artist uses neutral beiges in the figures and foreground which contrast against the variety of deep blue tones that sweep across the background. Vanderbilt’s loose brushstrokes impart movement to the overall picture, particularly where the sand appears to wrap around the outline of the figures. Women on the Beach is an exceptional example of Vanderbilt’s rare oil paintings, in which she diverges from the intense color palettes of her works on paper in favor of subdued, neutral pigments.