In the beautifully composed painting, a woman - the artist's sister Jeanne - stands with her back to the viewer, a red flower in her hand as she gazes into a mirror. The setting is drab, dour, grey and brown, the whole painting is almost monochrome. This kind of gloomy interior setting was a common theme among the female impressionists, who weren't able to paint outside with the freedom of the men.
Art - as a profession - was dominated by men for centuries. Women were relegated to painting or sculpting as a hobby at best; being a professional artist just wasn't an avenue open to most women in history up until relatively recently. That's why the majority of the National Gallery's collection is of art by men; it's the result of centuries of gender inequality and injustice. But they're taking steps to begin to redress the balance, and the purchase of this Eva Gonzales work is a big, beautiful leap.
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