Woman with Butterfly Tie

This young woman's fashionable dress has diagonal pleats to emphasize shoulder width, ballooning "leg of mutton" sleeves, and a full skirt, all designed to accentuate her diminutive waistline. The perspective of her nose and brow line and overly small hands lack realistic proportion, but they create a rhythm of curving lines when paired with the locket chain, belt, and lace. The cost of a portrait painted by a preeminent artist was beyond the reach of many middle-class families. Consequently, they turned to the plentiful, less expensive self taught artists who traveled from town to town to record their likenesses. These transient artists stayed in one spot only long enough to complete whatever work they could find before moving on to the next town. The output of these artists ranges from crude portrayals to the charm seen in this portrait.