The Toilet
1878
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1878
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This painting depicts a woman standing in profile, facing left. She is dressed in a long, dark dress with a ruffled skirt and a high neckline, and her hair is pulled back into a bun. The woman's face is turned away from the viewer, and her features are not clearly defined. The background of the painting is a dark, muted color, which helps to focus attention on the woman's figure. The painting's use of chiaroscuro, a technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume and depth, adds to its sense of realism. Look up the artist Whistler, James McNeill.
