Her reputation as a voracious reader hovered around her like a goddess' hazy cloak in an epic. Henry James (1843?1916), a well-known American author, wrote The Portrait of a Woman in the early years of his prolific career. James, who was born and raised in America, naturalised as an English citizen in 1915. Three volumes of The Portrait of a Woman were released in 1881. Isabel Archer, a young, poor, and lively American lady who travels to Europe to broaden her horizons, is the protagonist of the novel. Isobel enthusiastically immerses herself in England's cultural scene while being courted by numerous men. In the end, she decides to wed the secretive Gilbert Osmond. James analyses the American national character with skill. The Portrait of a Lady. As in his other memorable works, he grapples with the theme of the clash of the innocence and joy of life of the New World with the cynicism and wisdom of the Old World in this classic.