Porrtrait Of a Women

This artwork employs classical 19th-century academic techniques to add to the canon of portraiture. It seeks to present the beauty of a woman of the African Diaspora, while gently expanding the catalogue of works—and the canon of artists—who have long been captivated by the beauty of her people. This work, which was drawn solely from life, places a premium on correctness in proportion, anatomical features, and rendering of light. The artist captures a sense of regality in addition to the sitter’s beauty. In order to subjugate the other elements of this artwork to those ideals, the artist has simplified the costume and hair of the sitter, forcing the viewer to focus on the face and emotion of the sitter. The hand-toned paper also has very beautiful gradients that give the background visual interest without pulling the focus of the viewer away from the main subject.