Yvonne Suys (1883–1925)

Khnopff used a small black-and-white photograph as source material for his portrait of Yvonne Suys, the seven-year-old daughter of an influential Belgian family. The painting is largely faithful to the photograph, although the artist made the girl appear older and emphasized the doll-like delicacy of her features. He exchanged the rose that she holds in the photo for a pink-red iris, a modern varietal. Khnopff, an accomplished portraitist, depicted numerous children from wealthy families as he sought to cultivate clients.