Adélaïde Labille-Guiard was apprenticed to a miniaturist and later, in 1769, studied pastel with Maurice Quentin de La Tour. The rich palette and fine detail reflect her earlier training. In 1783, when she and Vigée Le Brun were admitted to the French Académie Royale, the number of women artists eligible for membership was limited to four, and this canvas has been interpreted as a propaganda piece, arguing for the place of women in the academy. Labille-Guiard sympathized with the Revolution and, unlike Vigée Le Brun, remained in France throughout her life.