Pencil drawing depicting an elderly female figure sewing, signed in ink “Pauline Garcia / 1835” and inscribed in pencil in another hand on the mount, translated from the French, “This drawing was drawn by Pe. Garcia (sister of Mar. Malibran) at the age of 15 and without having studied drawing.” In fine condition. Provenance: by descent, the Garcia family. Drawing mounted to a larger sheet with hand-drawn ink framing device, through which the artist has signed. These sheets laid down to semi-rigid backing under paper matting. Speckled with foxing, primarily to the mount, edges a bit rough, but overall in fine condition. Visible 7.25 x 7.75 inches (18.5 x 20 cm); overall 9.5 x 12 inches (24 x 30 cm).

Born Michelle Ferdinande Pauline García, she came from a musical family and took up music and drawing at a young age. Her father, Manuel, a tenor, was a Spanish singing teacher, composer and impresario. Her mother was Joaquina Sitches, a Spanish actress and operatic singer. 

One of the most important singers of the 19th century, Viardot was the dedicatee of Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody and Saint-Saens wrote that it was her voice he had in mind when composing the role of Dalila.  Viardot created Meyerbeer's "Le Prophete" (Fides), Orphee in the Berlioz version of Gluck's "Orphee et Euridice," Gounod's "Sapho," and Massenet's "Marie Magdalene" among others.  She starred in Gluck's Alceste at the Paris Opera in 1861 and 1865, which Berlioz altered for the production.