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Student Artwork Guide

The Samovar

William Mcgregor Paxton, 1926

Name Class Date
William Mcgregor Paxton, The Samovar (1926). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
William Mcgregor Paxton topimpressionists.com/en/artists/william-mcgregor-paxton/
Artist’s dates
1869 – 1941
Painted
1926

Copyright This work is in the public domain. William Mcgregor Paxton died in 1941; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2011.

Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Oct. 8, 2026

The Samovar — William Mcgregor Paxton Part 1 · The artwork

In context

The Samovar — William Mcgregor Paxton

When was this painted?

  1. 1860
  2. 1870
  3. 1880
  4. 1890
  5. 1900
  6. 1910
  7. 1920
  8. 1930
  9. 1940

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 72 at death.

Painted when the artist was 57. The artist lived to 72. 22 of the 26 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of William Mcgregor Paxton (1869–1941) ▲ this work, 1926 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1908 Main working years: 1908–1917 Late works: from 1917

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

  • The New Necklace, 1910 topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-the-new-necklace-8YDJDF-en/
  • Woman Sewing, 1919 topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-woman-sewing-8YEA3K-en/
  • Tea Leaves, 1909 topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-tea-leaves-8YE4Q4-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/william-mcgregor-paxton-the-samovar-8YDSU4-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Walnut #764a39

    Catalogued palette

    • #764A39
    • #E3D5B0
    • #2A1615
    • #BD9766

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Walnut
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Softly Mixed Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Deep_shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Subtle Color How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by William Mcgregor Paxton over the last twelve months — 3 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 57.1%1,200 visits
    2. 2 United States of America 23.8%500 visits
    3. 3 Belgium 19.0%400 visits

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 19 most looked-at works by William Mcgregor Paxton

    1. 1 Nausicaa 20.0%600 visits
    2. 2 The New Necklace, 1910 10.0%300 visits
    3. 3 The Other Room, 1916 10.0%300 visits
    4. 4 Woman Sewing, 1919 6.7%200 visits
    5. 5 Portrait of Enid Hallin 6.7%200 visits
    6. 6 The Tam 6.7%200 visits
    7. 7 Girl with a Hand Mirror, 1915 3.3%100 visits
    8. 8 The Sisters, 1904 3.3%100 visits
    9. 9 The crystal 3.3%100 visits
    10. 10 Girl combing her hair 3.3%100 visits
    11. 11 Portrait of Louise Converse, 1915 3.3%100 visits
    12. 12 The Yellow Jacket, 1907 3.3%100 visits
    13. 13 The White Veranda, 1902 3.3%100 visits
    14. 14 Pretty Girl, 1926 3.3%100 visits
    15. 15 The Shade Hat, 1912 3.3%100 visits
    16. 16 Nude, 1915 3.3%100 visits
    17. 17 In the Studio 3.3%100 visits
    18. 18 Seated nude with sculpture 3.3%100 visits
    19. — The Samovar, 1926 this painting 0.0%0 visits

    Together these works take 99.7% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 41 works by this artist, of which 18 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Oct. 8, 2026

    The Samovar — William Mcgregor Paxton Part 2 · In context

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    William Mcgregor Paxton

    Born in Baltimore, United States of America

    a boston school luminary

    william mcgregor paxton, an american painter and instructor, left an indelible mark on the art world with his captivating portraits and interior scenes. born on june 22, 1869, in the united states, paxton's artistic journey is a testament to his dedication to the boston school paradigm.

    early life and education

    paxton's artistic odyssey began at cowles art school, where he not only honed his skills but also met his wife, elizabeth okie paxton. he later taught briefly at this institution, further solidifying his connection to the boston art community. his tenure at the museum of fine arts school in boston deepened his understanding of the city's vibrant art scene.

    artistic contributions

    paxton is renowned for his portraits, including those of two u.s. presidents: grover cleveland and calvin coolidge. his interior scenes, often featuring women, showcase his mastery of capturing the essence of his subjects. notably, his wife, elizabeth okie paxton, has been a frequent subject in his works.

    notable works and locations

    - girl with a hand mirror (reading public museum, pennsylvania), a quintessential example of paxton's opulent interior scenes. - portraits of grover cleveland and calvin coolidge, showcasing his skill in capturing the essence of historical figures.

    museums and collections featuring his work

    - the butler institute of american art (youngstown, ohio), a significant institution for american art, featuring paxton's works among its diverse collection. - somerville college (oxford, uk), while not exclusively focused on paxton, its collection includes notable works that reflect the broader context of american and british art.

    explore william mcgregor paxton's artworks on AllPaintingsStore

    discover the butler institute of american art on AllPaintingsStore

    learn more about william mcgregor paxton on wikipedia

    conclusion: william mcgregor paxton's legacy is a testament to his significant contributions to american art, particularly within the boston school. his captivating portraits and interior scenes continue to inspire, offering a glimpse into the lives of those he painted.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for The Samovar

    topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/william-mcgregor-paxton-the-samovar-8YDSU4-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Paxton, William Mcgregor. The Samovar. 1926, https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-the-samovar-8YDSU4-en/
    APA
    Paxton, William Mcgregor (1926). The Samovar [Painting]. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-the-samovar-8YDSU4-en/
    Chicago
    William Mcgregor Paxton. The Samovar. 1926. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-the-samovar-8YDSU4-en/
    Harvard
    Paxton, William Mcgregor (1926) The Samovar. Available at: https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-the-samovar-8YDSU4-en/

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Oct. 8, 2026

    The Samovar — William Mcgregor Paxton Part 3 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    The Samovar — William Mcgregor Paxton

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Look back at The New Necklace (1910), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    4. William Mcgregor Paxton was about 57 when this was made. What in it looks like the work of an artist at that stage?
    5. What might the artist have wanted you to feel?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Oct. 8, 2026

    The Samovar — William Mcgregor Paxton Part 4 · Look closely

    Questions & Answers

    Which artist is "The Samovar" attributed to?

    The artist behind "The Samovar" is William Mcgregor Paxton. The work is catalogued under William Mcgregor Paxton's name.

    How old was William Mcgregor Paxton when creating "The Samovar" in 1926?

    William Mcgregor Paxton was 57 years old when creating "The Samovar" in 1926. The age is computed from the artist's birth year, 1869.

    In what year was "The Samovar" by William Mcgregor Paxton created?

    "The Samovar" dates from 1926. The date places the work within William Mcgregor Paxton's career and its era.