Nora McMullen Mellon (Mrs. Andrew W. Mellon)

James Jebusa Shannon

National Gallery of Art

This painting shows a woman in a full-body portrait. She is standing with her body turned slightly to the right, looking out at us. The woman has pale skin, rosy cheeks, dark eyebrows, deep-set eyes, and red lips in a slight smile. Her dark hair is styled in an intricate updo. She wears a golden-yellow gown with a low neck, puffed, sheer sleeves, and a skirt that drapes down her legs and trails behind her. She holds a red flower in her right hand, and a dark wrap or shawl is draped over her left arm, her left hand on her hip. A gold ring is visible on her left hand, and she has round golden earrings. The background is dark, with what looks like a sculpture or fountain behind her on the left. The rest of the background is in tones of brown, green, cream, and pale yellow.