La Marchande de Moutarde

James McNeill Whistler

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts two women shown from head to toe. They are positioned in front of a doorway, with one woman standing on the left outside the entrance, holding a basket or tray, and the other woman standing inside on the right, partially leaning forward. The woman on the left has her hair tied back and wears a long dress with elbow-length sleeves. The woman on the right has her hair covered with a headscarf and wears a long gown. The scene is framed by a textured doorway that leads into a dark interior with shelves filled with jars and containers. The background outside the entrance consists of detailed linework suggestive of a brick wall or textured architectural surface.