Born in Ireland, James Watson became one of the leading mezzotint engravers in London during the second half of the eighteenth century. By this time, mezzotint was known as the “English method” of engraving, but this print also has ties to the Continent. It was done after a painting by the Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens, and the sitter’s clothes, including the ruff around her neck and her headgear, are indicative of Flemish and Dutch fashion trends.