Firmin Massot is only eleven years old when he entered art school in Geneva; he subsequently followed life drawing classes with Jean-Étienne Liotard at the Société des Arts. From 1787-1788 the artist travelled to Italy but had returned to Switzerland by 1789 when he subsequently followed life drawing classes with Jean-Étienne Liotard at the Société des Arts. From 1787-1788 the artist travelled to Italy but had returned to Switzerland by 1789 when he first exhibited at the Geneva Salon. From the start Massot specialized in portraiture and collaborated with his contemporaries, also present in the Collection du Crest, the landscape painter Wolfgang-Adam Toepffer and the animal painter Jacques-Laurent Agasse. Massot was well appreciated by the local Genevan nobility and bourgeoisie who ordered small and medium scale portraits and he also received commissions from prestigious patrons abroad such as Madame Récamier and the Empress Josephine.
The landscape background of the picture is by Massot’s good friend Wolfgang-Adam Toepffer. The natural style of English portrait was currently highly fashionable throughout Europe and its influence can be seen here. Nature is unfettered; small branches and stones are scattered on the pathway, a branch from a bush on the left leans forward in front of the harp and a tall red flower with expressive leaves and berries to the right echo the crimson of the paisley shawl. The identity of the present sitter, shown in an elegant Empire style dress, has yet to be confirmed.