Portrait of Two Girls

British 19th Century

National Gallery of Art

The image shows two girls from the waist up, sitting closely together. The older girl is positioned directly next to the younger girl, and both are facing slightly towards the camera. The older girl has long, dark hair styled in braids, framing her face with a middle part, and her facial expression is neutral. She wears a dark dress with a high collar and plaid decoration near the neck. The younger girl wears her hair parted in the middle and down to her ears, and she also has a neutral expression. Her dress is dark with short sleeves and a white lace or embroidered collar. Their hands are folded in their laps, and they appear to be sitting on a piece of furniture like a chair. They are framed within an ornate, oval-shaped gilded frame with floral and leaf patterns. The background is plain and dark.