When Keïta's portraits were first displayed in New York in 1991, they were unsigned and his identity was unknown outside of Africa. His unique style of portraiture immediately captivated viewers, and soon after the show, Keïta was located in Bamako, Mali. Through interviews and publications, details of his photographic career emerged, and international acclaim followed as he exhibited his work in museums and galleries.

In 1948 Keïta opened a studio in Bamako, in a building near the market, the post office, a zoo, and the railway station. This location attracted local customers, those from neighboring countries, and those en route to Senegal. Keïta operated his studio until 1962, when, after Mali's independence, he was asked to be a government photographer; he retired in the mid-1970s.

Keïta started with a box camera and glass plates and soon changed to film. He was meticulous about preserving and organizing his negatives, but he did not record the names of the people who waited patiently to be photographed. Thus, the name of the woman in this picture is unknown to us. Her portrait is infused with confidence in an extraordinary display of personal and pictorial beauty. It is an innovative composition that is a tour de force of elegance and style.