Sketch for Portrait of Mother Patricia Waldron

Mother Patricia Waldron was a nun of the Sisters of Mercy in Philadelphia, and Eakins's sketch for her portrait represents his commitment to depicting individuals from all walks of life with equal seriousness. Religious women were unusual subjects in American portraiture, and Eakins's approach — unidealised, psychologically attentive — treats her as he would any other intellectual or professional. The sketch offers insight into his preparation for finished portraits: establishing tonal masses and the essential character of the sitter before moving to the complete canvas. The painting is held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The sketch is painted with Eakins's characteristic economy, concentrating on the face and the tonal relationship between the black habit and the lighter values of face and coif. The background is broadly handled, and paint is applied directly without excessive reworking. The face conveys quiet authority.