Brief List of Some Image Patterns in Henry James's Portrait of a Lady
1. Architecture, rooms, decor:
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Gardencourt, Lockleigh, Casa Roccanera, Casa Touchett and Palazzo Crescentini
(Touchetts),
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the convent (p. 540 as prison), St. Peter’s
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Osmond’s facade; looking at Isabel (p. 424)
2. Art and art objects, collections, creating art:
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porcelain and earthenware (as in The Rise of Silas Lapham)
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cloth--old lace and old damask: note labor-intensive work of others collected
as object of aesthetic contemplation vs. Goodwood's cotton mills
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paintings and sculpture--The Dying Gladiator, the dim paintings
in the picture gallery, Isabel framed in the doorway, “portrait”, Titian,
Coreggio, etc.
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paper and writing: Pansy as blank paper (p. 280)
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Osmond’s “retouched features” p. 264
3. Acting: Osmond’s pose (p. 390); his mother “the American Corinne”;
other examples
4. Music:
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Mme. Merle playing Schubert (rather than Beethoven as in 1881 edition);
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Isabel’s conscience like a “strummed piano” (p. 224); marching and “beating
the drum” (p. 333)
5. Clothing: Example: Isabel’s black clothing-->white --> black
Pansy’s clothing: white--> gray --> black
Isabel's gesture of smoothing gloves; sending and
wearing gloves; fans and concealment
6. Surfaces, facades, masks
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also mirrors, reflections (Osmond and Isabel's polished silver surface)
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clear and clouded glass
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enamel (p. 520), lacquers (many layers to achieve a polished, brittle surface)
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Mme. Merle
7. Doors, locks, and keys, imprisonment, cages:
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Ralph (p. 73) sees Isabel as a work of art to which he believes he has
the key
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also, images of being imprisoned, of doors shutting and opening
8. Fire, flames: Isabel looking into the fire (p. 413); at the end,
the fire is dead; lightning
9. Light and dark:
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“House of darkness” (p. 424);
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the final passage.
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Note how many times light in this novel is “violent” and represents revelation.
10. Flight, flying, birds:
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Countess Gemini;
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Isabel (p. 401) “poor winged spirit”
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Isabel's name and classical allusion (Artemis/Diana)
11. Flowers, gardens, nature:
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Pansy, of course;
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giving and exchanging of flowers;
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dried rosebud;
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Osmond as snake in garden;
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p. 426 mind as garden-plot
12. Sight and seeing, voyeurism; related to artists and artistry:
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Henrietta's eyesight;
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Isabel’s vision;
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Ralph and Osmond watching Isabel
When does watching become artistry--observation for the sake of creation--and
when is it voyeurism--observation for the pleasure of the observer?
13. Art and artistry: Who are the artists here? What
are their subjects? What are their media?
14. Writing, letters, journalism:
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The “blank page” image of Pansy;
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Henrietta’s occupation;
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Mrs. Touchett’s telegrams;
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letters written and unwritten--Lord Warburton, Isabel, etc.
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Isabel as novel writer (p. 60)
15. Intertextual references: Novels, books, reading
16. Names: Stackpole, Goodwood, Touchett, Archer, Gemini, Pansy,
Serena Merle
17. Paths and travel:
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labyrinth, straight path;
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Isabel in coach and slow ride through Rome (refusing to see and seeing)
18. Tea, receptions, ceremonies, convention, tradition
19. Ships and sailing: Isabel as ship (p. 478)
20. Trade, money, merchandise: Isabel (p. 480) and “falsified balance-sheet”;
Osmond's art
21. Europe, the old world, decaying civilizations, monuments; p. 518,
the Coliseum
22. America: Columbia, "war-paint," etc.