Genevra; or, the history of a portrait / by an American lady. A resident of Washington City.

Two English acquaintances touring Rome visit an accomplished but reclusive artist and become drawn into the story surrounding a striking portrait displayed in his studio. The narrative mixes travelogue impressions of Roman ruins and street life with scenes in the artist’s partly shuttered mansion, encounters with local residents, and a slowly revealed backstory about the sitter and the painting’s emotional significance. Threads of curiosity, social contrast, and sentimental reflection tie the episodes together as secrets about identity, attachment, and the portrait’s past are gradually disclosed.