31414 #203 Harrison Fisher

The painting presents a woman in what appears to be early 20th-century attire. She is positioned in profile, her gaze directed slightly upwards and away from the viewer. A large, elaborately decorated hat dominates the composition, casting shadows across her face and obscuring much of her forehead. The hat’s brim is wide and adorned with feathers that contribute to a sense of theatricality and extravagance.
The womans expression is ambiguous; theres a hint of amusement or perhaps playful mischief in her eyes and mouth. Her index finger is raised towards her lips, a gesture universally understood as signifying silence or secrecy – a visual cue suggesting complicity or an invitation to shared knowledge. The artist has rendered the skin tones with a delicate touch, emphasizing the softness of her features and creating a sense of idealized beauty.
The clothing she wears – a high-necked blouse tied in a bow at the throat – adheres to the conventions of the period’s fashion, yet the overall effect is one of restrained elegance rather than strict formality. The background is indistinct, allowing focus solely on the figure.
Subtly, the painting evokes themes of feminine allure and social propriety. The gesture of silencing suggests a transgression or a secret being kept, hinting at a narrative beyond what is immediately visible. The title, Naughty, Naughty, further reinforces this sense of playful defiance and hints at a character who operates just outside the boundaries of acceptable behavior. The rejection note appended to the image introduces an element of intrigue – suggesting that the work was deemed unsuitable for its original purpose, perhaps due to its suggestive nature or unconventional portrayal of femininity.