Eleanora O’Donnell Iselin stands upright, her left hand resting firmly on the carved and gilded edge of a wooden table, while her right hand holds a dark, closed fan at her side. She faces forward, her body turned slightly to her left, and her gaze meets the viewer with a composed, unsmiling expression. Her hair is neatly pinned back, revealing a pair of pearl earrings and accentuating the strong lines of her face.

She wears a high-necked black dress adorned with subtle beadwork and delicate lace at the cuffs and collar, the fabric catching the light with a soft sheen. The dress is fitted at the waist and falls in dark, voluminous folds, contrasting with the crisp white ruffles at her wrists. A thin gold chain drapes from her neck, disappearing into the shadows of her dress, while a small brooch or ornament fastens the collar.

The background is a plain, warm-toned wall, painted in broad, smooth strokes that set off the figure without distraction. Light falls from the left, illuminating her face and the upper part of her dress, while casting gentle shadows that model her features and hands. The table at her side is painted with careful attention to its decorative trim and red legs, its surface angled toward the viewer.

Brushwork is fluid and confident, especially in the rendering of the dress and hands, where the paint suggests texture and movement without excessive detail. The composition is vertical and monumental, with the figure nearly filling the frame and the empty space around her heightening her presence. Eleanora O’Donnell Iselin (Mrs. Adrian Iselin) was painted by John Singer Sargent in 1888.

The portrait depicts Eleanora O’Donnell Iselin, whose name appears in the title and who is the sole subject of the work.