Encounter

There is an obvious exchange occurring between the two figures in this painting, though its exact nature remains unclear. The artist, Isabel Bishop, worked in New York City in a studio on 14th Street. Bishop was a perceptive observer of everyday activities of young women who frequented offices and stores in her neighborhood. Her paintings introduce working women as a vibrant subject for American Scene art, which focused on the daily lives of the urban population. According to Bishop's recollections, a young unemployed clerical worker offered to pose for the artist. “Encounter” depicts this woman and her boyfriend, with whom she had a rather stormy romance.