Artwork
Portrait of a Young Woman
Portrait of a Young Woman is a gouache drawing by the Romanticist artist Samuel Worcester Rowse. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Portrait of a Young Woman, created by Samuel Worcester Rowse in 1862, is a mixed-media portrait executed in charcoal, gouache, and white-chalk heightening on buff-colored wove paper. The work is technically enhanced by its lining with linen and mounting on a strainer.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures a young woman with dark, pulled-back hair and slightly parted lips, engaging the viewer with a direct gaze. The overall impression is one of candid intimacy, evoking the immediacy of a snapshot—a notable effect given the piece's creation during the early days of photography.
Technique & Style
Rowse's detailed draftsmanship is evident in the soft, charcoal-rendered skin tones contrasted with the sharply defined collar, achieved through chalk. White-chalk highlights animate the subject's eyes, suggesting the play of light.
History & Provenance
Samuel Worcester Rowse, known for portraits of esteemed figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, produced this work in 1862. It is part of The American Wing collection.
Context
Emerging during the nascent period of photography, this portrait reflects Rowse's ability to capture life's quiet moments through traditional media, a technique also explored by other artists using gouache.
Artist & collection
Artist
Samuel Worcester Rowse (January 29, 1822 – May 24, 1901) was an American illustrator, lithographer, and painter.
