according to Frederic Leighton (1830-1896), Picture, attached fabric size 50 x 60 cm, 31 colours, 9 stitches/1 cm, Gobelin with petit-point-section, Miniature-Set
Frederic Leighton, known as Sir Frederic Leighton between 1879 and 1896, was a British painter, draughtsman and sculptor. He was inspired for this painting on his travels in the Middle East. The girl Connie Gilchrist was his model for many of his works before she began a career as a dancer and singer. In this picture she is sitting in Arabic clothing model, which the artist brought back from his trip to Damascus. The artist was very interested in exotic patterns and fabrics, as was fashionable throughout Europe at the time around 1870.