Adelheid Dietrich

Private Collection, Southampton, New York (acquired circa 1965 and until 1987)

Hollis Taggart Gallery, New York

Sotheby's, New York, 5 December 1991, lot 2 (consigned by the above)

Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Painted in 1867, Morning Glories is a delicately constructed still life that reflects Adelheid Dietrich’s grounding in the traditions of Dutch and Flemish Old Master painting. Trained in Germany and later active in the United States, Dietrich specialized in flower and fruit compositions noted for their precision and clarity. Works such as the present painting demonstrate her disciplined approach to observation and her ability to translate natural forms into balanced, tightly organized compositions.

The composition centers on a network of morning glory vines trained across a wooden trellis, with blossoms in pale pink, lavender, and white. Dietrich renders each flower with thin, controlled brushwork, clearly defining the contours of the petals and the soft gradations of light across their surfaces. The surrounding leaves are depicted with equal care, their veins sharply articulated as they emerge from the warm background. Clusters of green grapes introduce a contrasting form and texture, adding further visual weight.

Dietrich’s attention to detail extends to the smallest elements of the scene. Several insects are scattered across the leaves and wooden support, and a fine cobweb at center left subtly anchors the composition in observed reality. These details, handled with restraint rather than embellishment, reinforce the artist’s commitment to close looking and technical exactitude. Morning Glories stands as a representative example of Dietrich’s still-life practice and her sustained engagement with European models adapted to an American context.