One of the women intimately involved with Robert Burns, Agnes McLehose had been separated from her husband for seven years when she met the poet at a party in Edinburgh. They wrote each other passionate letters, adopting the names 'Clarinda' and 'Sylvander'. The relationship broke off when Burns acknowledged Jean Armour as his wife. Agnes McLehose was beautiful, witty and wrote poetry. This silhouette shows her confidently posed as if on the brink of speaking. It was made for Burns and was still in his possession at the time of his death.