The pensive sitter for this study is very likely Henriette Darricarrère, who modeled for Matisse while he worked in Nice from 1920 to 1927. In a photograph of her posing for the painting Liseuse au guéridon (coll. Kunstmuseum Bern), she appears with her shoulder-length hair parted on the right side and wearing a headband, as seen here. "During her seven years of modeling Henriette excelled at role-playing and had a theatrical presence that fueled the evolution of Matisse's art... She adopted the subject roles more easily and could express the moods and the atmosphere of Matisse's settings without losing her own presence or her strong appearance" (J. Cowart, Henry Matisse: The Early Years in Nice, 1916-1930, Washington, D.C., 1986, National Gallery of Art, exhibition catalogue, p. 27). Her contemplative gaze also generates the mysterious mood in Femme devant un aquarium, 1923 (coll. The Art Institute of Chicago).

A photo-certificate from Wanda de Guébriant dated Paris, May 19, 1989 accompanies this drawing, which is listed as no. V307 in the Henri Matisse archives.