The artwork titled “Mrs. Frederick Mead (Mary Eliza Scribner),” executed by the artist John Singer Sargent around the year 1893, is an exquisite example of Realism. Rendered in oil on canvas and measuring 67.9 by 51.8 centimeters, this portrait belongs to the genre of portraiture. This distinguished piece is housed at the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut, United States.
The artwork depicts a refined elderly woman, Mrs. Frederick Mead, seated against a subdued, dark background that emphasizes her countenance and attire. The artist has rendered her with a lifelike precision, capturing the subtle textures and folds in her dark, elegant garment. The chiaroscuro effect used in the portrait highlights her facial features, reflecting both wisdom and serenity. Adding to her regal demeanor, a delicately arranged lavender ribbon adorns her coiffed gray hair. Sargent’s expert use of lighting and brushwork brings a three-dimensional quality to the portrait, making it a quintessential representation of Realism in portraiture.