Although most noted for his detailed etchings, Gerald Leslie Brockhurst was also an accomplished painter. This is an early painted self-portrait. As something of a child-prodigy, Brockhurst went on to become one of the most successful portraitists of his day, and enjoyed success both in Britain and the United States. It is for his portraits of women that he is especially remembered and while primarily depicting the women in his life, he also painted society figures such as Marlene Dietrich and the Duchess of Windsor.