Young Lady Writing

Perry combines dry media—graphite and charcoal—with touches of gouache, producing soft, smudged tonal transitions rather than crisp outlines. The paper’s gray tone and slightly worn texture contribute to a subdued palette, and the sketchy, rapid line work indicates a spontaneous approach, perhaps executed outdoors or in a brief sitting.

Created circa 1870, the drawing reflects Perry’s mid‑nineteenth‑century practice of genre scenes and portraiture. While specific ownership records are limited, the work has been documented in collections of American 19th‑century drawings, illustrating the artist’s interest in everyday subjects rendered with a modest, observational style.