Mary Turner Austin was close in age to Sargent and was around Sargent's age of 22 when this was painted. She was a cousin of JSS and also studied painting and they were close as they grew up with their flamilies spending time together in Italy and Germany. Her family, like Sargent's, were expatriate Americans living in Dresden. 

Sargent painted at least two portraits of Austin. 

 
Mary Turner Austin: pencil sketch 

Notes 

The painting sold for $132,000 in December 1985 

• see the year in review 1878