Julian Alden Weir

In this unusual double portrait, Weir draws the viewer into an intricate puzzle of flat and decorative elements. A rhythmic progression of verticals is formed by the curtains, the mirror’s edge, the bedposts, and the figure’s confident pose. In contrast, horizontal crossbars rise from the floor and float attention upward to the model’s reflection. Her voluminous striped sleeve joins various textiles and carved ornaments as counterpoints to the composition’s insistent geometry. In this contemporary version of a traditional theme, Weir demonstrates his knowledge of aesthetic interiors, subtle tonal harmonies, and asymmetric arrangement of forms.

In this unusual mirrored portrait, Julian Alden Weir draws the viewer into an intricate puzzle of flat and decorative passages. Against a palette of blacks and drab greens, the painting comes alive in the warm tones of the model’s face and hair and in the exuberant detail of her blouse. The fine stripes of her leg-o-mutton sleeve join various textiles and carved ornaments as counterpoints to the composition’s insistent geometry. A rhythmic progression of verticals is formed by the curtains, the mirror’s edge, the bedposts, and the full-length figure. In contrast, horizontal crossbars rise from the floor and float attention upward to the illuminated motif of the model’s reflection. Weir’s style reflects his admiration for James Whistler (whose work hangs to the right). His aesthetic interiors, subtle tonal harmonies, and asymmetrical arrangement of forms contribute to the vocabulary of this striking image.