The Toilet

Eastman Johnson

National Gallery of Art

This painting shows a woman standing in front of a wooden dresser with a mirror, her back to us. We can see her face reflected in the mirror. She is gazing at her reflection with both of her hands lifted towards her slightly tilted face. The woman has pale skin and dark hair neatly styled away from her face, and she is wearing a dark gown with white ruffles around the neck. On the dresser, there is a floral arrangement, a pair of blue bottles, and a wooden box holding more containers. Behind the dresser, the background includes patterned wallpaper, a blue curtain on the left, and sunlight coming through a window on the right. The floor appears to be covered by a patterned rug.