The sitter is Kathleen "Kate" Newton (1854-1882), Tissot's Irish muse and mistress from 1871-82. Tissot (1836-1902) portrayed her as a personification of summer in this etching. Tragically, Newton contracted tuberculosis and, unable to fight the disease and bear witness to Tissot's mounting grief, overdosed on laudanum in November 1882. Tissot reportedly sat by her coffin for four days before giving her up for burial.
