Lady in White c. 1910

Thomas Wilmer Dewing created this painting, titled 'Lady in White,' at an unknown date, though certainly within his own lifetime. Notice the mirror behind the woman, a motif laden with symbolism throughout art history. Mirrors often represent vanity and self-reflection, but perhaps more profoundly, they symbolize the concept of doubling—the conscious and unconscious self. This notion takes us back to Narcissus gazing at his reflection, an image of self-obsession, but also an exploration of identity. Consider, too, the "speculum animae," or mirror of the soul, used in medieval times to examine one’s spiritual condition. The woman in white, framed by the mirror, invites a deep contemplation of her inner state, blurring the lines between appearance and reality. The mirror's presence, even in the simplicity of this scene, speaks to a timeless fascination with the self and the elusive nature of identity, a theme that continues to resurface in art across generations.