Sisters

American 19th Century

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a bust-length portrait of two young girls positioned side by side, occupying the left and right halves of the canvas. Both girls are facing forward, with their bodies angled slightly inward toward each other. They have pale complexions with prominent facial features; the girl on the left has large brown eyes, while the girl on the right has striking blue eyes. Their hair is styled in long, dark brown, tightly-coiled ringlets that fall to their shoulders, with a slight part in the middle. Both are wearing dark-colored dresses with wide, off-the-shoulder necklines that reveal their collarbones and bare necks. The background is a plain, light beige color, offering no additional context or embellishments. There are no visible pieces of jewelry or objects in their hands.