The artwork titled “Portrait of a Lady (Miss My Ellison)” was painted by artist Mary Cassatt in 1877. It is an oil on canvas, and it belongs to the Realism art movement. The genre of this piece is a portrait, which captures the essence of the sitter, presumed to be Miss My Ellison. The formal elements and the content of the work are reflective of the period in which it was created, showcasing Cassatt’s remarkable skill in portraiture and her contribution to the Realism movement.
In the artwork, we see a young woman portrayed with quiet elegance. Her gaze is cast slightly downwards in a contemplative or introspective manner, not engaging directly with the viewer. The lighting of the composition gently illuminates the sitter’s face, highlighting her fair skin and soft features. She is holding a folded fan in her lap, suggesting a sense of leisure and refinement.
The lady is dressed in a period garment of muted colors, with gentle ruffles around her collar and cuffs, adding a textural dimension to the work. The brushwork is characteristic of Cassatt’s style, with visible and confident strokes that bring life and realism to the representation. In the background, the artist has included hints of an interior setting, though the focus remains firmly on the figure of the young woman, thus enhancing the intimate and personal nature of the portrait.
Mary Cassatt’s choice of palette, the positioning of the subject, and the candid representation of the sitter reflect the principles of the Realism movement, which sought to depict subjects truthfully without artificiality or the glorification found in other art movements of the time. This work exemplifies Cassatt’s contribution to the genre of portraiture and remains a significant piece within her oeuvre.
