Valatton, in his records, names this painting "Bust depiction of a woman with naked breast, wearing a black shawl, black hat, and pink ribbon." The artist made a careful study of the Old Masters. When required to practice the technique of copying as a student at the Académie Julian, he chose artists of the highest rank—Leonardo da Vinci, Antonello da Messina, and Albrecht Dürer. This painting, with its solemn use of color, is executed with striking precision.

Inscriptions: Signed and dated, upper right: F. Vallotton 08

Accession Number: ГЭ-5108

Provenance:

Entered the Hermitage in 1948; handed over from the State Museum of New Western Art in Moscow; originally acquired fron the G.E. Haazen collection in Petrograd