Alice Pike Barney, born Cincinnati, OH - Morning Glories - 1911 - T-Shirt

A young woman wears a crown of pink blossoms and a sheer pale-blue veil, turned three-quarters away against a glowing yellow-green ground.

Visual Elements & Composition

The soft, blended pastel marks give the image its atmosphere. Pale yellow-green and sage fill most of the background, with the warm tan of the paper showing at the edges. The woman's dark hair is wreathed in pink and mauve blossoms worked in loose, feathery strokes, and her face is pale with rose-red lips. Her gaze moves past the viewer, and the olive-green garment is suggested by quick, broken marks rather than defined lines. The composition has no text or numerals; the flowers and the glowing ground carry the design.

Meaning & Symbolism

The title names the morning glory, a flower that opens in the early hours and closes as the day advances. That ties the image to dawn and to brief, fleeting beauty. Set within a woman's crown of blossoms, the motif reads as spring and renewal, and her turned head suggests reverie rather than a formal pose. Alice Pike Barney (1857-1931), born in Cincinnati, Ohio, was an American painter and pastellist known for portraits and figure studies. The original pastel, dated 1911, is held in the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection and reflects her atmospheric portrait practice of the period, where mood counts as much as likeness.

Wearing the Morning Glories

A tee carries this artwork across the chest, so the wreath and the glowing ground sit in view as you move. The soft, wistful mood of the pastel translates into a simple, quiet piece you can wear any day. Pick the size that suits your fit, and let the flowers and pale green do the talking.