The artwork titled “Portrait of Letitia Wilson Jordan” was created by Thomas Eakins in 1888. Executed in oil on canvas, this portrait belongs to the Realism movement and is housed at the Brooklyn Museum in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork presents a distinguished woman, Letitia Wilson Jordan, portrayed with meticulous attention to detail, characteristic of the Realism movement. The subject is dressed in a dark, elegant gown complemented by a delicate, red bow around her neck, a striking contrast to her pale skin. Her gloves and the fabric she holds exhibit intricate textures rendered by the artist’s adept use of oil paint. The background is a rich, reddish-brown, which serves to highlight the figure’s contemplative expression and poised demeanor. This striking use of chiaroscuro enhances the lifelike quality of the portrait, demonstrating Eakins’ mastery in capturing the subtleties of human emotion and form.