Thomas Wilmer Dewing

The 19th-century concept of “art for art’s sake” aspired to harmony in all aspects of design. In Lady in Gray, diffused light, the suggestion of music, and the use of a dominant gray tone create a sense of reverie. Dewing and others in his circle extended the decorative effect of their paintings by placing them in custom-designed frames. This example, in Renaissance Revival tabernacle style, was designed by Dewing’s friend, the architect Stanford White. The frame’s ornamentation, including Corinthian capitals and classical moldings, mediated between the painting and the decorated room in which it would have hung.