Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 165 works by Abbott Handerson Thayer in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Abbott Handerson Thayer left, the most famous is The Sisters, (painting) (1884). Close behind it come Diana, (painting) (1896) and Nantucket Sand Dune (1890). Our catalog holds 165 works by Abbott Handerson Thayer; the gallery has kept the 100 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
The Sisters, (painting) is an oil on canvas created by Abbott Handerson Thayer in 1884. The work captures two figures, Bessie Stillman and Clara Stillman, caught in a moment of quiet proximity. They are positioned within a doorway, their forms defined by the soft light of a studio setting. The portrait was commissioned by their brother, the banker James Stillman, for his own private collection.
This 1896 portrait presents a grayscale depiction of a woman, likely representing the goddess Diana. Rendered in a soft, atmospheric style, the work focuses on the interplay of light and shadow to define form rather than relying on sharp detail. The subject is captured in a classic three-quarter pose, positioned slightly off-center against a dark, undefined background that creates a sense of depth through chiaroscuro.
Nantucket Sand Dune is a landscape painting of a beach. The work is attributed to Abbott Handerson Thayer, though closer study identifies the artist as Charles Morgan McIlhenney. This oil on canvas piece dates to about 1890. The composition focuses on the coastal geography of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
In this 1920 self-portrait, we are invited into a quiet, intense confrontation with the artist himself. The subject, a bald man, meets our eyes with a steady, unblinking gaze that feels deeply personal. There is a certain ruggedness to the way the light falls across his features, catching the brow and the ridge of the nose while casting the rest of his face into a heavy, contemplative shadow. It is…
There is a certain weight to the way this tiger meets your gaze. Painted around 1874, this oil on canvas presents a portrait that feels less like a study of an animal and more like an encounter with a living consciousness. The tiger's head emerges from a dark, indeterminate background, a choice that forces the viewer to confront the subject without the distraction of a landscape or a cage. The…
Abbott Handerson Thayer’s 1881 portrait of Mrs. William F. Milton stands as a testament to the artistic sensibilities of late Victorian England—specifically, the burgeoning movement known as Aestheticism. More than just a likeness, it's an exquisitely crafted visual meditation on beauty, dignity, and societal expectations, reflecting the influence of classical art and a desire for elevated craftsmanship.
The painting Angel by Abbott Handerson Thayer captures a moment of profound stillness. Created in 1887, this work presents a figure that seems to exist between the earthly and the divine. The subject is a portrait of the artist's daughter, Mary, who appears here at eleven years of age. She gazes out from the canvas, her presence carrying a quiet weight that anchors the entire composition.
In Sleep, Abbott Handerson Thayer presents a quiet, intimate scene of childhood. The oil painting, created about 1877, focuses on a young boy resting in bed. He is captured in a state of peaceful slumber, his form settled deeply into his bedding. Beside him lies a teddy bear, a small companion that adds a sense of comfort to the private moment. This subject matter reflects a gentle, sentimental view of…
The oil on canvas titled Young Woman in Fur Coat is a work by Abbott Handerson Thayer. Created about 1910, the painting captures a female figure in a moment of stillness. The subject is draped in a dress and a heavy fur accessory that anchors the composition.
In the quietude of 1877, Abbott Handerson Thayer captures a moment of profound stillness in his work titled Sleep, (painting). The scene unfolds with a gentle intimacy, centering on the theme of childhood innocence and the deep, undisturbed rest of youth. Every brushstroke seems to hold its breath, preserving a sense of peace that feels as though it might be broken by the slightest sound.
Landscape at Fontainebleau Forest1876
12
Mary1885 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
13
Fisherman Mending Nets1883 · High Museum of Art
14
Mother and Child1886 · Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
15
Hebe1890 · Cleveland Museum of Art
16
Hebe, (painting)1890
17
Oil Sketch of a Young Boy1895 · Museum of Fine Arts
18
Caritas1895 · Museum of Fine Arts
19
Portrait of Bessie Price1897
20
Caritas, (painting)1895
21
Red Flamingoes1905
22
The Angel1903 · Museum of Fine Arts
23
Angel1901 · Harvard Art Museums
24
Study of Alma Wollerman, (painting)1908
25
Male Wood Duck in a Forest Pool, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom1909 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
26
Boy and Angel1918 · Buffalo AKG Art Museum
27
Abbott Handerson Thayer (a Self Portrait), (painting)1918 · Nationalmuseum
28
Mount Monadnock1915 · Fogg Art Museum
29
Portrait of a woman1898 · Nationalmuseum
30
Male Wood Duck in a Forest Pool1905
31
Roses1890 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
32
Mount Monadnock1918 · Los Angeles County Museum of Art
33
Girl Arranging Her Hair1918
34
Half Draped Figure1885 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
35
Girl in White (also known as Margaret Greene)1888 · Museum of Fine Arts
36
Winged Figure1889 · Art Institute of Chicago
37
Sketch of Monadnock Mountain1897 · Detroit Institute of Arts
38
(Picking up the Scent), (painting)1870
39
Mount Monadnock1914 · National Gallery of Art
40
The Light of the "Smudge" and After Sunset Glow: Row Song at Chateaugay1874 · Harvard Art Museums
41
The Light of the Smudge and the After Sunset Glow Row Song at Chateaugay, (painting)1874
42
Chadwick.s Dog1874
43
Tiger's Head1874
44
Sphinx Caterpillar, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom1885 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
45
Lunar Caterpillar, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom1885 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
46
Heterocampa Biundata, Walker, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom1885 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
47
Portrait of a Woman (Gertrude Bloede), (painting)1881
48
Jessie Jay Burge, (painting)1880
49
Half Draped Figure1885
50
Waterlilies1884
51
The Garden1884
52
Still Life with Rhododendron1886 · Indianapolis Museum of Art
53
Roses1890
54
Little Girl with Flowers, (painting)1890
55
Virgin Enthroned1891 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
56
A Study of an Old Woman1890
57
Flower Studies1886
58
Flower Studies1886 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
59
Virgin Enthroned1891
60
Brother and Sister (Mary and Gerald Thayer)1889 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
61
Minerva in a Chariot1894 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
62
A Bride, (painting)1895 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
63
Woman in Grecian Gown1894
64
Bessie Price, (painting)1897
65
My Children (also known as Mary, Gerald, and Gladys Thayer)1897 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
66
Cornish Headlands1898
67
Minerva in a Chariot1894
68
Dublin Pond, New Hampshire1894
69
My Children (Mary, Gerald, and Gladys Thayer)1897
70
A Bride1895
71
A Winged Figure1904
72
Mount Monadnock, (painting)1903
73
Thayer's Mountain, (painting)1903
74
Portrait of a Lady (also known as Mrs. William B. Cabot)1900
75
Portrait of a Lady (Mrs. William B. Cabot)1902 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
76
Stevenson Memorial1903
77
Winter, Monadnock1900 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
78
Margaret MacKittrick1903 · Indianapolis Museum of Art
79
Roseate Spoonbills1905 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
80
The Sky Simulated by White Flamingoes1905 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
81
Peacock in the Woods1907
82
Sunset1905
83
Portrait of a GirlRhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
84
An AngelMilwaukee Art Museum
85
Sunrise, San Remo1909 · Vanderbilt Museum of Art
86
Portrait of a LadyVanderbilt Museum of Art
87
Girl in White, (painting)
88
Child, (painting)
89
Young Girl, (painting)
90
Girl's Head, (painting)
91
Female Nude, (painting)
92
Young Woman in Fur Coat, (painting)1910
93
Girl Fixing Her Hair, (painting)1909
94
Roseate Spoonbill, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom, (painting)1909
95
A Woman with a Fur-Lined Hood1908
96
Study of Alma Wollerman1908
97
Red Flamingoes, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom, (painting)1909
98
The Sky Simulated by Red Flamingoes, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom), (painting)1909
99
Blue Jays in Winter, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom1909 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
100
The Sky Simulated by White Flamingoes study for book, Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom1909
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Abbott Handerson Thayer | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Smithsonian American Art Museum |
Washington, D.C. | 41 | Nantucket Sand Dune, Tiger's Head, Angel |
 Museum of Fine Arts |
Boston | 6 | Oil Sketch of a Young Boy, Caritas, The Angel |
| Vanderbilt Museum of Art | Nashville | 3 | Sunrise, San Remo, Portrait of a Lady |
 Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art |
Providence | 2 | Mother and Child, Portrait of a Girl |
 Harvard Art Museums |
Cambridge | 2 | Angel, The Light of the "Smudge" and After Sunset Glow: Row Song at Chateaugay |
 Nationalmuseum |
Stockholm | 2 | Abbott Handerson Thayer (a Self Portrait), (painting), Portrait of a woman |
 Indianapolis Museum of Art |
Indianapolis | 2 | Still Life with Rhododendron, Margaret MacKittrick |
 Metropolitan Museum of Art |
New York | 2 | Mrs. William F. Milton |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
There is a certain weight to the way this tiger meets your gaze. Painted around 1874, this oil on canvas presents a portrait that feels less like a study of an animal and more like an encounter with a living consciousness. The tiger's head emerges from a dark, indeterminate background, a choice that forces the viewer to confront the subject without the distraction of a landscape or a cage. The…
The Sisters, (painting) is an oil on canvas created by Abbott Handerson Thayer in 1884. The work captures two figures, Bessie Stillman and Clara Stillman, caught in a moment of quiet proximity. They are positioned within a doorway, their forms defined by the soft light of a studio setting. The portrait was commissioned by their brother, the banker James Stillman, for his own private collection.
This 1896 portrait presents a grayscale depiction of a woman, likely representing the goddess Diana. Rendered in a soft, atmospheric style, the work focuses on the interplay of light and shadow to define form rather than relying on sharp detail. The subject is captured in a classic three-quarter pose, positioned slightly off-center against a dark, undefined background that creates a sense of depth through chiaroscuro.
In this 1905 oil on canvas, we find ourselves observing a group of red flamingos positioned in the foreground. The birds are rendered with long, slender necks and legs that lend them a singular, almost otherworldly presence. There is a quiet energy in their arrangement, a sense of movement captured in a moment of stillness. The background remains subtle, suggesting a natural setting without drawing the eye away from the…
The oil on canvas titled Young Woman in Fur Coat is a work by Abbott Handerson Thayer. Created about 1910, the painting captures a female figure in a moment of stillness. The subject is draped in a dress and a heavy fur accessory that anchors the composition.
In this 1920 self-portrait, we are invited into a quiet, intense confrontation with the artist himself. The subject, a bald man, meets our eyes with a steady, unblinking gaze that feels deeply personal. There is a certain ruggedness to the way the light falls across his features, catching the brow and the ridge of the nose while casting the rest of his face into a heavy, contemplative shadow. It is…
The Sisters, (painting) (1884). Diana, (painting) (1896) and Nantucket Sand Dune (1890) come next.
35 years old: The Sisters, (painting) dates from 1884, and Abbott Handerson Thayer was born in 1849.
The Sisters, (painting), Diana, (painting), Nantucket Sand Dune, Abbott Handerson Thayer Self-Portrait, Tiger's Head, Mrs. William F. Milton, Angel, Sleep, Young Woman in Fur Coat and Sleep, (painting). The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 165 works by Abbott Handerson Thayer, dated from 1870 to 1920.
Mostly in Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C.), Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) and Vanderbilt Museum of Art (Nashville). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1900s: 27 of the 100 works on this page were made then, Red Flamingoes among them.
On this page, the earliest is (Picking up the Scent), (painting) (1870) and the latest Abbott Handerson Thayer Self-Portrait (1920).
Woman (12), Portrait (11) and Skin (6), across the 100 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 32 of the 100 works on this page.
Impressionism, judging by the originals on this page.
Nantucket Sand Dune, Tiger's Head and Angel: the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. holds 21 of the works on this page.
