The artwork, titled “Etta Dunham,” was created by John Singer Sargent in 1895. This portrait is rendered in oil on canvas and measures 100 by 80 cm. Exemplifying the Realism art movement, the work is an intimate and detailed depiction of its subject, characteristic of Sargent’s masterful portraiture.
The artwork portrays a woman in formal attire, likely of the upper class, as suggested by her elegant dress adorned with layers of delicate, semi-transparent fabric. She gazes directly at the viewer, exuding a sense of confidence and poise. The background is dark and without detail, effectively drawing attention to the delicately rendered features of the woman and the play of light and shadow on the fabric of her dress. The painter’s skill is evident in the nuanced brushwork and the realistic representation of textures, contributing to the lifelike presence of the subject.
