Portrait of a Phrenologist

Thomas S. Walsh

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a woman depicted from the waist up, sitting in a formal position. She has a composed expression with clearly defined facial features and her dark hair is styled into a smooth bun, covered partially by a white headpiece. She is wearing a dark, long-sleeved dress with a high neckline, accented by a white lace collar. The woman is holding a small sculpted bust in her right hand, which rests on a table covered with decorative fabric. The background is a simple dark backdrop. The image is framed in an ornate gold mat within a red-bordered frame, with the name "WALSH" imprinted at the bottom.