Girl with Candle (1896) by Elbridge Ayer Burbank is a small, evocative oil portrait that uses the stark contrast of light and shadow to draw the viewer into an intimate moment: a young Black girl, her braided hair and wide, expressive eyes illuminated by the warm, flickering glow of a single candle against a dark background. Signed and dated “E.A. Burbank 96,” the work highlights Burbank’s sensitive observation of character and mood, using the candle’s limited light not just as a physical source but as a means to emphasize the subject’s presence, vulnerability, and quiet dignity within the surrounding darkness—a technique that demonstrates his command of chiaroscuro and his interest in capturing both the physical and psychological depth of his sitters.