“Portrait of Mrs A J Motley Jr” is an exquisite oil-on-canvas artwork created by Archibald Motley in the year 1930. This painting, executed within the Art Deco movement, belongs to the genre of portraiture.
The artwork portrays a poised woman, presumably Mrs. A J Motley Jr, seated in an elegant fashion. She is adorned in sophisticated attire, featuring a stylish hat and a distinctive fur stole draped over her shoulders, signaling her high social status and refined taste. The background is composed with dark tones, which emphasizes the subject’s luminous skin and the vibrancy of her clothing, creating a striking contrast. The meticulous detail in the rendering of textures, such as the plush fur and the patterned fabric of the chair, showcases Motley’s technical proficiency. The composition, with its play of light and shadow, and the palpable sense of presence in the subject, embodies the refined elegance and modernity of the Art Deco era.
