The artwork titled “Portrait of Mary Adeline Williams,” created by Thomas Eakins circa 1900, is an oil painting on canvas that belongs to the Realism art movement. This portrait, housed in the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, epitomizes the genre of portraiture.
The artwork depicts a woman, Mary Adeline Williams, portrayed with a high degree of realism and meticulous attention to detail. Her expression is contemplative, and the artist has captured the texture and subtle nuances of her skin, emphasizing the natural play of light and shadow. The subject is adorned in a dark, textured garment with red ribbons, complemented by a red scarf around her neck. The background is subdued, allowing the viewer’s focus to remain entirely on the subject, thus highlighting Eakins’ masterful use of contrast and realistic representation to convey depth and character.