I am not certain if this woman is meant to represent the figure of Lucy Marston, beleaguered wife of Alfred, whose drunken escapades are detailed in the story of the "The Redeemed One" surrounding her in the antique scrapbook from which she was at some point cut out--but she does look like one who has been through some things, and I might guess that the letter she holds in one hand, while a handkerchief in the other, may not be delivering the best of news. I'm forever taken with the wonderfully wonky faces on these old naive drawings, and here with the clearly joyful effort put into detailing the ruffled sleeves, bodice, and especially the embroidered or lace flowers, vines and many other flourishes on her skirt!
Drawing itself: 8" x 4 5/8"; overall 8 5/8" x 6 1/8". Executed in pencil and watercolor on white paper, pasted on top of newspaper onto scrapbook page, with more newspaper on reverse side. Some rippling to the paper from the pasting, a crease line down the center (I believe incurred before being pasted down), and general wear, with some light scattered staining, I believe likely from an opposite page in the scrapbook where it was long housed.
