William Etty was the first significant British painter of nudes and still lifes. As a consequence he acquired a reputation for indecency. Despite this, he became commercially successful and critically acclaimed. In 1828 he was elected a Royal Academician, at the time the highest honour available to an artist. Throughout his life he continued to study the human form at life drawing classes, a practice considered inappropriate by established artists of the day.
This painting was acquired for the Gallery by the artist Frank Brangwyn.
