It depicts a young woman in black dress and a deep, white collar tied with a yellow bow; her head gently tilted and her lips just parting to reveal a smile. The delicate play of light over her features and the restrained brushwork, unusual in his late works, add to the intimacy of the portrait and enhance the candour of the characterisation. This painting was purchased after a successful public appeal by the museum.

Provenance

Wyndham Collection