Solomon Joseph Solomon RA, RBA was a British painter.  He studied in England, Germand and France.  He painted portraits for income but also painted magnificent scenes from the Bible and Mythology.  He was a pioneer of camouflage during the First World War.  This portrait of the artist Ethel Gabain (1883-1950) is a study of a young artist, this could be deemed a preparatory painting for a larger work or a personal keep-sake for an admirer.  Either way, this is a very rare painting from a highly respected and accomplished Victorian artist, and the sitter is rarely, if ever, seen in portraits.