This small-scale conté drawing depicts Fergussons lover and fellow artist Anne Estelle Rice. Heavily inspired by the Impressionists and Fauvists, Fergusson created work which was bold in colour and style, becoming one of the key names of the ‘Scottish Colourist’ group, alongside Samuel John Peploe, FCB Cadell and George Leslie Hunter. This took him to France in 1906 where he developed his practice further. At the same time, Philadelphia-born Rice also relocated to France, working as an illustrator for an American magazine, capturing the new trends and alluring high fashion of Parisian life.

The two artists met in the summer of 1907 and were immediately drawn to one another. Their meeting was said to have been the reason Fergusson chose to stay in France and they became romantically involved for the following seven years. During this time, Fergusson mentored and encouraged Rice to pursue her own painting practice. Fergusson is known to have depicted Rice in several drawings and paintings, including the present work over this time. Fergusson remained in France until the call of the war, where he returned to Scotland.