Agnes Goodsir studied at the Bendigo School of Mines and Industries before moving to Paris in 1899. After holding a sale of her work in Bendigo to finance her travels abroad, Goodsir found herself consumed by Parisian life, establishing a reputation for her portraiture and still life painting. The Letter was completed the same year Goodsir was invited to become a member of the Salon Nationale des Beaux-Arts, only the second Australian women to receive this honor. It is believed the figure in this painting is Rachel Dunn, her model and companion. [https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/5633/]