Portrait of a Lady, seated 18th century

An anonymous artist sketched 'Portrait of a Lady, Seated' using red chalk. The drawing gives us a glimpse into the world of female representation, especially within the context of portraiture. Historically, portraits of women often served to reinforce societal expectations of beauty, domesticity, and virtue. The woman in the drawing is turned to the side, away from the viewer, which can evoke feelings of mystery. There's an ambivalence here; we see the external image of the sitter, but we are not privy to her inner thoughts. The artist has chosen to leave her anonymous, opening up the possibility for us to project our own feelings onto her. Although the artwork is a conventional portrait of a seated lady, the woman seems to be longing for something, or looking away from something, leaving the viewer to wonder about her internal life.