Sketch for a Portrait of Mrs. Bella Worsham

Daniel Huntington's preliminary sketch demonstrates the careful preparatory work underlying portrait painting in the late nineteenth century. The drawing captures a standing female figure in classical drapery, with particular attention to the arrangement of fabric and the modeling of the torso. Huntington's assured line work and selective hatching establish form and volume while maintaining the spontaneity of a working study. Such sketches served as essential intermediary steps between initial conception and finished canvas, allowing the artist to resolve compositional and anatomical questions before committing to the final portrait.