Lady in Evening Dress with Figure of Venus de Milo

William Page's ink sketch presents a portrait study rendered with economical line work. The composition juxtaposes a contemporary figure—a woman in an off-shoulder gown with period jewelry—against a classical sculptural form. Page's approach reflects nineteenth-century academic practice: the quick study as preparatory work or independent exercise. The sketch demonstrates the artist's training in anatomical proportion and his engagement with the dialogue between modern portraiture and the antique tradition that dominated artistic instruction of his era.