'Girl Sketching', Sir Henry Raeburn

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The identity of the girl is unknown. She is wearing a simple muslin dress gathered under the bust, typical of the Regency period. She looks up from her sketch with a dreamy expression, inviting us to imagine her thoughts. There is an almost throwaway quality about the way the paint is applied. This studied informality, together with the restrained colour and soft yet naturalistic fall of light, are characteristic of the artist.