Technique

It is painted on a thin panel, possibly mahogany,

Whistler must have been painting fast, catching the child in movement. He painted with quick, flickering strokes of a small brush, with considerable attention to detail, in, for instance, her features, and the dress. Some of the paint was as liquid as watercolour. The colours are subtle, with, for instance, lilac shades in the blonde hair.

There are odd strokes of colour on the carpet, which are fairly cursory but appropriate because it was a quick, vivid sketch. There are fine, flicking brush strokes to left of the hem of the dress that might have been done a little later, possibly by the artist to tidy up the quick sketch. Alternatively, it could easily have been touched up by the sitter's father, Mortimer Menpes, at the time.

Conservation History

The wooden panel is very slightly bowed, with minor abrasions from the frame at the edges. Some hairline craquelure is found on the figure and dark area at right. There has been some inpainting at the edges. There is one scratch to right of where her wrist crosses the skirt at right but it does not go through the paint.

Frame

Unknown.