A Life in Bloom: The Floral Paintings of Julia McEntee Dillon

February 14, 2026–July 26, 2026

A Life in Bloom: The Floral Paintings of Julia McEntee Dillon is a focused monographic exhibition that presents the career of one of the most admired yet underrecognized American painters of the nineteenth century. During her lifetime, Julia McEntee Dillon (1834–1919) was regarded as “the greatest living flower painter” in the United States, praised for works that were described as “brilliant in hues, admirably drawn, and composed with a fine appreciation of the effect of large masses of colors.”

Born near Kingston, New York, Dillon developed her artistic practice within a vibrant regional network of artists and patrons. She worked in the studio of her cousin, Hudson River School painter Jervis McEntee. Dillon elevated floral painting into a sophisticated and expressive form—creating compositions featuring peonies, roses, and chrysanthemums so vividly rendered that critics remarked they “almost seem to have an odor in them.” Bringing together thirty-two paintings from public and private collections, A Life in Bloom offers one of the most comprehensive presentations of Dillon’s work.

Support

Leadership support for annual exhibitions and programs provided by

Phoebe Powell Bender
Christine and George R. Hearst III

Albany Institute programs and exhibitions are made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

Press Release

ALBANY, NY—The Albany Institute of History & Art will open its 2026 season with two monographic exhibitions: Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist, opening January 31, 2026, and A Life in Bloom: The Floral Paintings of Julia McEntee Dillon, opening February 14, 2026.

“Together, Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist and A Life in Bloom: The Floral Paintings of Julia McEntee Dillon allow us to reconsider the contributions of two remarkable artists whose achievements were widely admired in their own time yet have too often been overlooked in the broader narrative of American art history,” says Kayla Carlsen, Executive Director of the Albany Institute of History & Art. “We are proud to be among the museums nationwide presenting Becoming an American Modernist and deeply grateful to our regional partners whose generosity made this long-overdue exhibition of Julia McEntee Dillon possible. These exhibitions reflect our commitment to celebrating the art, history, and culture of the Hudson Valley and expanding how stories of American art are told.”

Read the full press release here.

Images from top: Julia McEntee Dillon (1834–1919), Chrysanthemums in Chinese Tureen [detail], oil on canvas, c. 1910. Albany Institute of History & Art Purchase, Marjorie and Richard Rockwell Fund, 2023.2. Julia McEntee Dillon (1834–1919), Bouquet in Chinese Jar, oil on canvas, c. 1910. Friends of Historic Kingston.