Edmund Charles Tarbell (1862-1938) was one of the original members of the group known as The Ten.  Exhibiting together for the first time in New York City in 1898, The Ten were a group of ten American artists who chose to exhibit together independently from the large annual exhibitions of the Society of American Artists and the National Academy of Design.

Most members of the group, including Tarbell, painted in an Impressionist style. Although their work did not differ radically in technique or subject matter from that of the artists who participated in the larger exhibitions, the group chose to separate themselves and exhibit independently, hoping to draw public attention to their work.

The Ten were at the forefront of American Impressionism at the turn of the 20th century, with Tarbell as a central figure as one of the most acclaimed painters in Boston at the time. Throughout his career, Tarbell focused on subjects of idealized beauty, as here. His delicate brushwork, luminous palette, and attention to detail were hallmarks of his work, particularly in his portraits of women. Tarbell was both praised and criticized during his lifetime for his commitment to idealized beauty. In response to his critics, Tarbell was quoted as saying, “Art should render the beauty of the thing seen.”