Meditation 

Lilla Cabot Perry created this intriguing painting, Meditation, with oil on canvas. The material of oil paint, manufactured through industrial processes, allows Perry to build layers of color and texture on the canvas. Her technique emphasizes the fluidity and blendability of oil paint. Observe how Perry uses soft, diffused brushstrokes to render the woman's face, imbuing the scene with a contemplative atmosphere. Oil paint, by its very nature, is slow-drying, so the blending and layering gives Perry a great deal of control over the composition. Note the details of the hair and soft lines of the face, which evoke a sense of calm and introspection. By engaging with these material qualities and processes, Perry elevates the painting beyond a mere depiction of a subject, but rather into a work that emphasizes the inherent beauty and expressiveness of the medium itself. Understanding the material and process is essential to understanding the painting.