The artwork, titled “Portrait of Lucy Lewis,” was created by Thomas Eakins in 1896. Executed using oil on canvas, this piece is a fine example of the Realism movement, specifically within the genre of portraiture.
The artwork depicts a young woman identified as Lucy Lewis, rendered with striking attention to detail and lifelike quality characteristic of Eakins’s oeuvre. The subject’s expression is serene yet introspective, her gaze directed slightly away from the viewer. She is portrayed wearing a delicate, white garment with intricate folds and textures, contrasting subtly against the dark, uniform background. Eakins’s masterful use of light and shadow enhances the depth and dimensionality of the portrait, both illuminating the subject’s face and emphasizing her delicate features and the texture of her clothing. The overall composition exudes a sense of calm dignity and quiet realism, making it a quintessential piece of 19th-century American portraiture.
