The French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-75) was largely based in Paris and by 1860s he had established himself as the leading sculptor of the French Second Empire. He made several visits to London, the first in 1871 at the time of the Paris Commune. He excelled in portraiture, as shown by the V&A's powerful marble busts by him of 1871-3 (Museum numbers A.43-1983; A.19 & 20-1984).

This is a totally different work, though executed not long after these busts. One of Carpeaux's last works, it was modelled at Dieppe where he stayed towards the end of his life. His choice of subject, a humble girl gathering winkles into a basket, is in tune with the choice of peasants by contemporary painters such as Millet.