The Lady in Black

Following Hamilton's 1881 move to New York City, he became increasingly interested in genre painting. His colorful interior Lady in Black depicts the familiar theme of a woman affected by the contents of a letter. The narrative quality of the picture is evident in the coat or cloak draped over the chairback and the torn envelope on the table edge: she has evidently just returned from an outing, opened the waiting letter, read it, allowed it to fall into her lap, and lapsed into deep thought. That her reverie is of a rather serious nature is indicated by her somber dress and the shadow, which, despite the illumination of the front of her body, covers her face.

In contrast to the sober and solid depiction of the woman and her attire, the background is dazzling and only summarily indicated. The expanse of gold wall has a flattening, decorative effect, its reflected light enlivening the figure's profile. Mediating between the extremes of light and dark is the table arrangement, with its balance of green tablecloth, blue-and-white porcelain, and yellow flowers. Hamilton's signature on "Lady in Black" bears the "N.A." suffix, indicating that the painting was completed following his spring 1889 election.