Wallis is listed by neither Bénézit not Thieme-Becker. When he first exhibited at the RA in 1894 his address was Meadow Studios, Bushey, which suggests that he was a pupil of Herkomer, but from 1899 to 1922 (when last recorded), he was living at Altrincham, Manchester, apparently being closely involved with the Northern Art Workers' Guild. His RA exhibits included landscapes, flower-pieces and genre or subject pictures. A flower-piece dated 1922 is in the Manchester City Art Gallery.

According to the Studio, this picture was one of at least three works which Wallis showed at the second Northern Art Workers' Guild exhibition, held at the Municipal School of Technology, Manchester, in 1904. These were a 'large cartoon for a mural decoration', 'a charming decorative painting of two children, and one of the Princess Iseult, ... both helped by their very suitable frames' (still on the present picture). He had also designed a 'striking poster' for the exhibition, which included works by Walter Crane, formerly Director of Design at Manchester School of Art.

Iseult of Brittany was the princess whom (confusingly) Sir Tristram married, although in love with La Belle Iseult. It is possible that Wallis had a special feeling for Brittany, like so many contempoary artists, both French and British.