Curatorial Narrative As one of the earliest exemplars of Art Nouveau’s influence in America, Ernest Haskell’s “Cissie Loftus, Imitations” (circa 1890-1900) assumes an intriguing position within the aesthetic trajectory of the period. Haskell’s technique is characterized by a linear brushwork that imbues the figural subject with a sense of dynamic tension, as if the very contours of Cissie’s form were in perpetual motion. The artist’s palette, predominantly rendered in greyscale tones, lends an air of introspection to the composition, one that seems almost at odds with the exuberant curves and sinuous lines that define Art Nouveau.When enlarged to a size approaching 44×62, Haskell’s “Cissie Loftus, Imitations” assumes a commanding presence within a luxury interior environment. The chromatic structure, initially read as a harmonious balance of greyscale tones, begins to reveal subtle nuances in value and saturation that imbue the spat