Born in Massachusetts, raised in St. Petersburg, trained as an artist in Paris, and eventually living most of his life in London, James McNeill Whistler was a true cosmopolitan. He often painted his friends and upper-class patrons, so this painting is rather unusual. What drew Whistler to paint this unnamed working-class girl? Something about her bold pose and the glint in her eyes suggests the artist found inspiration in her spirited personality and wanted to express her energy in his sketchy brushwork.