Titles

Only two titles have been suggested:

• 'The Princess' (1890, Christie's). 1
• 'Sketch for "La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine'' ' (1980, YMSM). 2

Sketch for 'La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine' is the generally accepted title.

Description

A small full-length study of a woman, in vertical format. She has long black hair, and faces three-quarter left. She wears a pale cream robe, possibly a kimono, over a pale green dress, and holds a decorated fan in her right hand. Behind her is a folding screen. There is a vase containing sprays of blossom to right, in front of the screen, and more blossoms at upper left.

Sitter

Unknown. She does not look like Marie Spartali (Mrs W. J. Stillman) (1844-1927), the model for the final version of the composition.