▁her ▁face ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁painting ▁that ▁is ▁calm ▁and ▁solid . ▁The ▁paint ▁is ▁applied ▁with ▁soft ▁and ▁nerv ous , ▁flying ▁br ush ▁stro kes . ▁The ▁artist ▁is ▁tre ating ▁the ▁surface ▁of ▁the ▁woman ' s ▁g own ▁with ▁long ▁z ig z ag ging ▁br ush es ▁of ▁thin ▁oil ▁paint ▁all ▁the ▁way ▁down ▁to ▁her ▁feet , ▁to ▁achieve ▁the ▁v ibr ant ▁effect , ▁versus ▁the ▁calm ▁of ▁her ▁face . ▁▁ ▁The ▁painting ▁came ▁into ▁the ▁possession ▁of ▁Har ri et , ▁Lady ▁Robert ▁Sp encer ▁( pre viously ▁wife ▁of ▁Edward ▁B ouver ie ) ▁of ▁Del ap re ▁Ab bey , ▁who ▁were ▁friends ▁of ▁the ▁Sher idan ' s ▁as ▁a ▁result , ▁of ▁Sher idan ' s ▁money ▁problems . ▁In ▁her ▁di ary ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁March ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁following ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁the ▁portrait ▁by ▁Har ri et ' s ▁grand son ▁General ▁Ever ard ▁B ouver ie ▁to ▁Alfred ▁de ▁Roth sch ild . ▁Mrs . ▁Ca ul field , ▁wife ▁of ▁the ▁second ▁son ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Earl ▁of ▁Charles mont ▁wrote :- ▁ ▁" I ▁have ▁heard ▁today ▁of ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁the ▁beautiful ▁portrait ▁of ▁Mrs . ▁Sher idan ▁by ▁G ains borough , ▁which ▁I ▁have ▁g ased ▁at ▁so ▁often ▁over ▁the ▁library ▁fire place ▁at ▁Del ap ré ▁, ▁and ▁that ▁it ▁bought ▁£ 3 , 0 0 0 . ▁Baron ▁Roth sch