Laundress

The present work is a highly-finished preparatory drawing to a painting. It depicts a scene on the left bank of the Seine, where a young laundress sits on a bench overlooking the Seine, one arm resting on her basket of wares and the other wrapped with a large bundle of laundry. She stares blankly into space, her eyes weary and unfocused. Two well-dressed gentlemen stare back at her with derision, one taking the arm of his companion to lead him away from the girl.

The drawing is a typical example of Naturalist art of the period.