Annie C. Lochrey Husson (Mrs. Louis Husson) c. 1905

This is Thomas Eakins’ oil on canvas portrait of Annie C. Lochrey Husson. Look at the way he works with light and shadow. You can feel the artist figuring things out. I wonder, what was it like to make this painting? You know, the kind of back-and-forth of looking, dabbing, and squinting. It’s pretty clear Eakins was interested in depicting light. See how it hits her face and illuminates her dress? The brushstrokes are soft but intentional, like he's feeling his way through the form. There's an honesty here. Eakins wasn't trying to flatter or idealize, but to capture something real about Annie. You see it with Velazquez, Manet, or Alice Neel – artists who understand the power of observation. It's like they're all in conversation, each adding their voice to this ongoing exploration of what it means to see and be seen.