An Analysis of Thomas W. Dewing's Famous Oil Painting Portrait in a Brown Dress

Thomas W. Dewing was the American artist responsible for the 1908 oil painting Portrait in a Brown Dress. On a recent visit to the Rochester Memorial Art Gallery, I was attracted to this work because of the simple, solitary depiction of its subject, and the subtle use of color.

The painting presents a young woman sitting alone in a barren room, her only company being a small book, which she holds gracefully in her hands. The room in which she is situated is an almost abstract representation of space.

The division between the apparent floor and wall is blurred, with each merely depicted by a dreamlike, mottled blend of greens, golds and grays. There is a great unity to the color scheme in this piece, employing the golden tones familiarly found in the Gilded Age. The repetition of colors creates a kind of rhythm in the work, as does use of similar paint strokes to depict clothing folds. there is a great use of understated brushwork utilizing intricate detailing which creates a rich sense of texture.

This piece has neither a strong use of contrast, nor an appearance of bold, thickly defined lines. However, these techniques lend well to the overall effect of the work, drawing the viewer's eye to the entirety of the subject. The woman's flowing dress, serene expression, and even the book she holds are all represented as a whole.

Though the work is entitled Portrait in a brown dress, there is no evidence to prove that this is an actual depiction of a real woman. However, considering the increasingly active and restless sensibilities of modern women of the time, this woman could very well have been a bit of a contradiction to her painted image. This work represents the woman as refined, genteel and delicate, with no hint of the "New Woman" feminism that was emerging at the time- implying that she is perhaps only Dewing's ideal of what a good woman should be.