Beaux's first known oil painting is a self-portrait of 1872-73 (private collection), and she returned to her own likeness at least three times during her career. The Academy's portrait was painted in her studio at 1710 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. It is contemporaneous with several of Beaux's most inventive and acclaimed works, such as Ernesta (Child with Nurse) (1894, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).