Portrait of Mrs. Roosevelt

Douglas Chandor

Douglas Chandor’s portrait conveys the restless energy and multifaceted personality of the subject. A full-color rendering of Eleanor engages the viewer with her direct, powerful gaze as her hand lightly peels back a page from an open book. Below, the painter evocatively integrates studies of her face and hands directly into the painting, emphasizing the symbols of knowledge (reading glasses), commitment (wedding ring), and hard work (knitting needles). Eleanor affectionately signed the upper right corner of the painting: “A trial made pleasant by the painter / Eleanor Roosevelt”.

1949

oil on canvas

painting