The Vigée-LeBrun executed her daughter's portrait circa 1797 in St. Petersburg, sending it the following year to the Paris Salon of 1798. In a description of her use of drapery in Souvenirs, she mentions the portrait as follows: "I would arrange large scarves, lightly woven around the body and on the arms, with which I would try to imitate the handsome drapery style of Raphael and Domenichino, in the same way you would have seen in Russia in several of my portraits, notably in that of my daughter playing a guitar."
In Souvenirs Vigée-LeBrun also described with enormous pride the talents and qualities of her daughter: "My daughter was now seventeen. She was charming in every respect. He large eyes, wherein so much intelligence was shown, her nose a little retroussé, her pretty mouth with its beautiful teeth, a dazzling freshness of complexion, all formed one of the prettiest faces you could see. Her figure was not very tall, but she was svelte without being devoid of embonpoint. A natural grace reigned in all her person. There was as much vivacity in her manners as in her wit. Her memory was prodigious - everything she had learnt in her various lessons or by reading she remembered. She had a charming voice, and sang in Italian to a marvel, for at Naples and at St. Peterburg I had given her the best music masters, as well a masters of English and German. Moveover she accompanied herself on the piano and the guitar. But that which charmed me most was her happy promise in painting, so that I could not say how happy and proud I was of all the advantages she combined"
Joseph Baillio, currently preparing the catalgoue raisonné on Vigée-LeBrun, believes the present painting is probably the original of two versions. According to Mr. Baillio the second portrait (private foundation, Geneva) is later in style, and does not include the gold necklace. The "Provenance" and "Literature" listed below as "probably" assumes the present painting to be the first version of this composition