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l.r. - - oil on canvas32 x 25 3/4 in. (81.3 x 65.6 cm.)PROVENANCEPrivate collection, ParisCampanile Galleries, Inc., ChicagoEXHIBITEDChicago, Campanile Galleries, Inc., American Paintings, 1977, p. 8, illus.Pittsburgh. Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute, Directions in American Painting 1875-1925, June-Aug. 1982, pp. 68-69, illus. as Lady in the Garden with Hollyhocks (this exhibition travelled to various locations, 1982-1987) Columbus, Keny and Johnson Gallery, Giverny, Past and Present, May 1984, illus. (cover)Youngstown, Youngstown State University, The John J. McDonough Museum of Art, Inaugural Exhibition, Oct. 1991-May 1992, p. 20; 29, illus.This painting will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonne being compiled by R.H. Love Galleries, Inc.Though the threat of war pervaded France and the rest of Europe in 1914, this did not deter Louis Ritman from his seasonal stay in Giverny. He did decide, however, this year to cease exhibiting at the Salon of the Societe des Artistes Francais, as he felt the traditional academic system had failed to promote his work as anticipated. Ritman, who had devoted the past three years to this conventional process, and who had little promoting experience otherwise, ventured on his own, following the American expatriates. Breaking away from the routine of the official French Salon, Ritman received ample advice from his friends, especially those with whom he worked at Giverny.The spring and summer of 1914, Ritman resided in Giverny along with Lawton Parker and Frederick Frieseke as he routinely had for the last four years. Now on his own, he planned for an extremely productive season. In doing so, he became more comfortable than ever with plein-air painting. Ritman experimented with his previously established subject of a single woman amidst floral gardens. In Garden in Giverny, he removes his model from the immediate foreground allowing the garden visual precedence. Working more frequently in and around the gardens by his studio-cottage. Ritman became entrenched in the techniques of his fellow American artists residing in Giverny, especially those of Frieseke. Acting on Frieseke's encouragement, Ritman explored more intensely the broken color-technique already established by their mentor, Monet.Garden in Giverny fully illustrates Ritman's understanding of depicting color and light with broken brushstrokes. He composes the wall of flowers with juxtaposing strokes of reds, oranges and lavenders in conjunction with strokes of varying greens for the undergrowth. Ritman transposes the garden path into lavender and sun-white mosaics. He chose a slightly tighter stroke to emphasize form for his model. In doing so, he creates a visual transition from the larger, staccato strokes of various colors in the foreground to the smaller, more uniform strokes of greens and lavender employed in the space behind the figure.Ritman's decision to sever his connections with the Salon in Paris proved to be the right tactical move for his artistic career. The next year, Ritman entered a painting similar to the present work entitled Hollyhocks into a competition held at The Art Institute of Chicago which was purchased for a healthy sum by the city of Chicago. For Ritman, the competition and sale of this painting launched his artistic career and reputation in Chicago.