Portrait of a Woman

James McClees, Washington L. Germon

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a woman in a portrait format framed in an oval shape with a decorative gold border. Her upper body is visible, and she is positioned facing slightly to the side, but her head is turned directly towards the camera. The woman's face is gentle with relaxed features, and she has dark hair that is centrally parted and smoothed back, mostly hidden under a white, frilly cap or bonnet. She wears a dark dress with a high collar featuring a white lace trim and a small brooch at the neck. The fabric of the dress has a textured pattern. The background is plain and dark, drawing focus to the woman in the portrait.