Seated female nude

The figure is clearly a studio or life-room study, but Frost has developed this to create an image of a nymph who has been bathing or is about to bathe in a woodland stream. As such, the work can probably be linked to a series of pictures on this theme which he exhibited at the British Institution, such as Syrinx (1848), A Naiad (1849) and Musidora (1850). On the third day of the Christie's sale after Frost's death in March 1878 there were three lots which may have been this painting: lot 366, The Model resting (3 gns to Doane); lot 374, A nymph reclining (4 gns to Rousby(?)); and lot 385, A nymph reclining (5 gns to Praed).
We are grateful to Richard Green for helping to prepare this catalogue note on the basis of a photograph.