Woman Watercoloring (possibly a Self Portrait) 1856

Elizabeth Murray produced this delicate pencil drawing around 1855. The very choice of medium has social significance. Watercolor, like needlework, was considered a suitable pastime for women of the upper classes. Look closely, and you’ll notice that the artist has employed a range of techniques: light, feathery strokes to describe the soft fabric of the woman’s dress, and denser, more deliberate lines for the face and hands. This layered approach gives the drawing depth and a sense of volume. The softness of the pencil, combined with the artist's attention to detail, creates a gentle, almost ethereal quality, fitting for a scene of domestic tranquility. The drawing engages with the visual culture of its time but does so from a decidedly female perspective. By focusing on the quiet, interior world of a woman engaged in an artistic pursuit, Murray elevates the status of craft and challenges traditional notions of artistic labor. The careful attention to detail and the skilled use of materials speak to the importance of making in understanding the full meaning of the work.