Burne-Jones took up a painting in the 1890s that had been in his thoughts since 1872 in which beautiful girls in the form of Sirens lure men to their doom. Numerous studies for figures and composition made at this time, c. 1894, exist of which is one. Two allied composition studies on brown paper were sold at Christie's 6/6/2002 lot 85 and 11/12/2018 lot 127.