The identity of the sisters is unknown. Until recently, they have been called the artist's daughter Rosalie (born 1769) and his sister-in-law Marguérite Gérard (born 1761). This is unlikely given the known difference in age between the two. A pastel by the Abbé de Saint-Non (1977.383) preserves the original composition of the picture, which has been cut down on all sides. The older girl was shown pushing a hobbyhorse on which her younger playmate sits.

Open full-size image