Portrait study of Edith Emerson Lecturing [at] Lake George
Date
c. 1935Medium
Oil on canvasCredit Line
Gift of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 2012Dimensions
35 x 45 in.Description & Inscriptions
In this portrait, Oakley depicts her life partner, Edith Emerson, giving a lecture on Greek art. A commanding presence, she turns her head as if to answer a question and is caught in the dramatic light of a projector. Emerson taught art history at the Agnes Irwin School, organized lecture evenings at Cogslea, and was a frequent speaker at Woodmere, where she served as director.