Who painted Woman writing?

Woman writing was painted by Daniel Maclise in 1825.

Where can I see Woman writing?

Woman writing is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Woman writing?

Woman writing is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Woman writing

Daniel Maclise , 1825

Woman writing is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Daniel Maclise. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Daniel Maclise’s pencil drawing portrays a woman seated and absorbed in the act of writing. She is shown in profile, her head turned slightly as she holds a pen or brush in her right hand, while her left hand rests lightly on her lap. The figure is dressed in a loosely draped gown and wears a simple beaded necklace, rendered with swift, delicate strokes that suggest rather than define form.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures a moment of quiet concentration, emphasizing the intellectual activity of the sitter. By focusing on the gesture of writing, Maclise highlights the personal engagement with thought or creativity, a theme resonant with Romantic interests in individual feeling and the inner life of the subject.

Technique & Style

Executed in graphite, the sketch relies on soft, rapid lines that convey the texture of fabric and the sheen of the necklace with minimal detail. The unfinished quality, typical of Romantic-era studies, prioritises mood and immediacy over precise rendering, allowing the viewer to infer the woman’s expression and surroundings from suggestion alone.

Context

The drawing belongs to a larger assemblage of 390 works displayed in a thirty‑frame pillar stand, comprising figures, landscapes, and portraits by Maclise and six fellow Royal Academicians. The series includes likenesses of prominent 19th‑century figures such as Edward Bulwer‑Lytton, Benjamin Disraeli, and Michael Faraday, illustrating the period’s practice of documenting notable personalities through quick, expressive sketches.

Artist & collection

Artist

Daniel Maclise

Daniel Maclise (25 January 1806 – 25 April 1870) was an Irish history painter, literary and portrait painter, and illustrator, who worked for most of his life in London, England.