Portrait of a Young Woman

Edward Harrison May, Portrait of a Young Woman, 1862, oil on canvas mounted on fiberboard, 24 x 16 ³⁄₄ in. (60.9 x 42.4 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Thomas W. Evans Collection, 1983.101.7

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Artwork Details

Title: Portrait of a Young Woman
Artist: Edward Harrison May
Date: 1862
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
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Luce Foundation Center
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3rd Floor
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4B
Dimensions: 24 x 16 ³⁄₄ in. (60.9 x 42.4 cm.)
Credit Line: Gift of University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Thomas W. Evans Collection
Mediums: oil
Mediums Description: oil on canvas mounted on fiberboard
Classifications: Painting
Subjects: Portrait female — unidentified — bust
Object Number: 1983.101.7
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1983.101.7

Artwork Description

In this painting of an unknown young woman, Edward Harrison May used soft brushstrokes and muted colors to emphasize her dreamy expression. The girl’s tilted head, wide eyes, and slightly parted lips create an idealized image that is both classical and melancholy. Her dark hair and rich green dress emphasize the porcelain skin of her bare throat, reinforcing the nineteenth-century idea of women as fragile creatures.