Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910) 1906

Curator: Looking at this portrait, I'm immediately struck by the stillness, the quiet dignity of it all. The artist, Carnig Eksergian, has captured Julia Ward Howe with such reverence. Editor: Yes, she seems suspended in time, doesn't she? The lilies she holds so delicately speak of purity and resurrection, themes so often associated with older women in art. Curator: Absolutely, and the lace shawl, almost ethereal, feels like a veil between worlds. There's a sense of her wisdom, etched into the lines on her face, a life fully lived. Editor: Lilies, lace, and quiet resolve—it's a portrait that whispers of feminine strength, resilience, and the enduring power of the feminine spirit. I feel as if I want to sit with her. Curator: A moment of quiet contemplation in a loud world, indeed.