Early 20th Century Oil Portrait of a Woman in a Headscarf

This is an original oil painting on canvas depicting a somber, mature woman wearing a dark headscarf or shawl. The artwork is executed in a realist style with a muted, earthy color palette dominated by browns, grays, and sallow flesh tones. The subject's face is rendered with notable character, featuring deep-set eyes and a stoic expression, suggesting a theme of resilience or aging. The brushwork appears deliberate and somewhat textured. The painting is housed in a substantial, period-appropriate gilt wood cove frame with a stepped profile. The frame shows significant signs of age, including moderate surface wear, loss of gilding on the high points, and visible accumulation of dust and grime, which contributes to its antique patina. There is evidence of surface craquelure throughout the paint layer, which is typical for oils of this age. While no signature is immediately visible in the provided angle, the craftsmanship suggests a proficient academic or semi-professional hand from the late 19th to early 20th century. The canvas appears to be slightly loose within the frame, and the hanging wire on the left side is exposed, indicating a need for professional reframing or conservation to ensure stability.