Rhead-LouisJohn-Scribners-Christmas-1895-sj Rhead

The composition presents a solitary female figure set against a stylized winter landscape. She is positioned centrally within a rectangular frame, its borders adorned with decorative lettering and foliage motifs. The woman wears a dark, voluminous dress and a wide-brimmed hat, her hair visible in fiery red curls escaping from beneath the brim. Her posture suggests movement; she appears to be walking purposefully forward, her body angled slightly towards the viewer.
She holds a large cluster of evergreen boughs before her, obscuring much of her face and torso. The foliage is rendered with a degree of naturalism that contrasts with the overall decorative style of the piece. A snowy ground stretches out beneath her feet, sparsely populated with bare branches. Behind her, the landscape dissolves into an abstract pattern of vertical lines suggesting trees or dense woodland.
The color palette is dominated by greens and browns, punctuated by touches of red in the woman’s hair and the decorative border. The limited range contributes to a sense of restrained elegance and seasonal appropriateness. The lettering flanking the figure – FOR XMAS on one side and a series of vertically stacked letters on the other – immediately establishes a festive context.
Beyond the surface depiction, several subtexts emerge. The woman’s obscured face invites speculation about her identity or emotional state; she is presented as an enigmatic presence rather than a readily accessible individual. Her purposeful stride suggests determination or perhaps a sense of urgency. The evergreen boughs, traditionally symbols of life and hope during winter, are held before her like a shield or offering, adding layers of symbolic meaning.
The overall effect is one of refined melancholy – a feeling of quiet contemplation amidst the festive season. The decorative style, characteristic of late nineteenth-century commercial art, lends an air of sophistication while simultaneously serving as a promotional device for a specific enterprise.