Miss Beatrice Townsend

In a black dress, with a vibrant coral sash.
She holds a rough-haired terrier in her arms.
The girl tilts her head slightly, gazing directly at us.

Her name was Eleanore Beatrice Townsend.
Born in 1870 into the home of a prominent New York lawyer.
In 1882, when this painting was created, she was 12 years old.
This was not a formal portrait commissioned by a wealthy family.
It was a private gift from the painter Sargent to her mother.

Her mother, Catherine, was a very close friend of the painter.
If you look closely at the top of the canvas, you'll see a dedication in the painter's own hand.
“To my friend, Mrs. Townsend”

The painter did not depict her merely as a charming child.
With one eyebrow slightly raised, and strong-willed blue eyes.
Her red lips are firmly closed.
He captured her on canvas as an independent individual.
The contrast between the ink-black dress and the vibrant red.
It seems to powerfully draw out the vitality hidden within her.