Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer was one of the most gifted of the Symbolist artists. In the 1880s and '90s the movement was formed to provide an intellectual alternative to the purely visual painting of the Impressionists. The Symbolists chose subject-matter which would suggest rather than be understood. Lévy-Dhurmer and Fernand Khnopff, were great masters in the use of pastel which, by its very nature, had more dramatic effects than oils, allowing for tonal shading and subtle effects.

A visit to Italy in 1895 revealed a taste for classical art and he turned his attention towards painting. He was enchanted by Venice and this mysterious pastel probably dates from this first Italian visit. The following year, 1896, his first one-man show was held at the Galerie Georges Petit in Paris. His subjects were drawn from mythology and inspired by the music of Beethoven, Debussy and Fauré. In addition, Lévy-Dhurmer established himself as one of the fashionable Parisian portraitists of the day.