Augusta Carolina Otero, known as La Belle Otero, was a reknowned French courtesan. From a gypsy background, she rose to be initimate with Kaiser Wilhelm, Grand Duke Alexander, Czar Nicholas and Edward VII. La Belle was the protagonist in the opera La Dame De Monte Carlo, by Jean Cocteau. In our picture, she portrays Carmen, a role she sang for just one performance, at the Paris Opera, after which she received sensational reviews. Her long life ended in debt at the gambling tables of Monte Carlo. Barrett's portrait appears to be consistent with contemporary photographs and lithographs by Pal.

We are grateful to Tony Clark, Director of the Severin Wunderman Museum, for his assistance in cataloguing this work.