Cameo, No.I

James McNeill Whistler

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a sketch of a woman depicted from the side in a crouched or seated position, facing toward the right side of the image. Her entire body is shown although she is bent over, placing her head close to a small animal, possibly a dog, that she is interacting with. Her hair appears to be styled in a bun at the back of her head, with some hair covering part of her face, and there seems to be a ribbon or band securing the hair. She is wearing a long, flowing dress that envelops her body and drapes onto the floor. There are no visible pieces of jewelry or objects held in her hands besides the interaction with the animal. The background is plain and consists of a simple paper texture, focusing all attention on the sketched figures with no additional elements or scenery to consider.