Mrs. George A. Drummond, Lady Drummond 1897

This is a portrait of Mrs. George A. Drummond, Lady Drummond, by Robert Harris, likely painted in the late 19th or early 20th century with oil on canvas. Looking closely, one is immediately struck by the textures that Harris has created with his brushstrokes. Oil paint has a unique capacity to mimic other materials. In this case, the lace detailing on Lady Drummond's dress is remarkable. Think of the labor, the hours put in by possibly anonymous makers, to create such a delicate fabric. And Harris, in turn, painstakingly simulates that effort through his work. Beyond the dress, the rendering of Lady Drummond’s skin and the sheen of her golden gown, Harris uses the materiality of oil paint to elevate his subject. Through careful brushwork, Harris highlights both the social status and the underlying labor involved in creating such a fine portrait. Ultimately, Harris encourages us to consider the social and economic context of portraiture, blurring the lines between fine art and the decorative arts.