William Etty, a specialist in history paintings featuring beautiful nudes, here works in oils after a model in his studio. In contrast to his life drawings, Etty focuses not on the muscular construction of the body but rather on the evocation of flesh tones. His acclaimed nudes were achieved by a rigorous commitment to drawing and painting after life, which he continued well after his early training. This practice maintained his finely honed understanding of the human form but earned him criticism from his fellow academicians.