Mrs. Joseph Clark Grew [Alice Perry Grew] 1904

Lilla Cabot Perry painted this portrait of Mrs. Joseph Clark Grew with oil on canvas. Look at the way Perry has used these soft, blended brushstrokes, it’s like she’s inviting us into a space of quiet contemplation. You can really see how much process matters to an artist like Perry. The delicate texture of Mrs. Grew’s dress, with those touches of lavender, it’s almost like the paint itself is breathing. The flowers pinned to her shoulder, rendered in deep, wine-dark purples, provide a focal point that pulls you right in. They feel so alive against the soft focus of the rest of the composition. You know, when I look at this painting, I can’t help but think of Mary Cassatt. There’s a similar sense of intimacy, a focus on capturing the inner life of the sitter. But Perry’s got her own thing going on, for sure. Her work reminds us that art is never really finished. It’s always changing, always in dialogue with what came before.