The Parasol — Daily Hue for September 8, 2026
Richard E. Miller · 1910–13 · Minneapolis Institute of Art
Hidden color: Dark Grayish Forest (#597757)
About this puzzle
Richard E. Miller’s The Parasol reflects the decorative, color-focused style that made him an important figure in American Impressionism. Born in Stoughton, Massachusetts, in 1875, Miller studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston before traveling to Europe in the 1890s. Like many American artists of his generation, he spent significant time in France, where he encountered Impressionism and became interested in the movement’s approach to light and color. Miller eventually became associated with the group of American artists working in Giverny, the village best known as Claude Monet’s home. His paintings often centered on women in carefully arranged interiors or gardens, combining Impressionist color with a more decorative and controlled style.
In The Parasol, Miller uses the figure of a woman and her brightly colored surroundings as an opportunity to explore pattern and color rather than tell a complicated story. The parasol itself is an important part of the composition, both as a recognizable object and as a strong area of color that helps organize the painting. Miller was particularly interested in placing different colors next to one another and allowing them to create visual effects without relying on detailed modeling. His work shows how American artists adapted European Impressionism into something more decorative and personal. Rather than simply capturing a fleeting moment outdoors, Miller builds the scene around the relationship between the figure, clothing, parasol, and surrounding landscape. The result sits somewhere between Impressionist observation and the highly decorative style that became increasingly popular in American art during the early 20th century.