The sitter is Augusta Jones, the sister of Mary Jones who was the common-law wife of Frederick Sandys, hence the preservation of the drawing among the Sandys family memorabilia. Augusta, who worked as an actress and artists’ model, sat for a number of the Pre-Raphaelite painters in the1860s and was described by Georgiana Burne-Jones as ‘a noble-looking girl’. Other very similar drawings for which Augusta was the model (Birmingham City Art Gallery and Maas Gallery) have been connected with B-J’s gouache of 1865 Astrologia.
Augusta Jones (Anne Maria Jones b. 1843) was one of three sisters who modelled for artists in the 1860s, notably Lord Leighton, Albert Moore, Whistler, Burne-Jones, Poynter and Frederick Sandys (Mary Emma Jones b.1845 became Sandys common law wife). Milly (Emelie Eyre Jones b. 1850) was the model for Whistler's The White Girl. Augusta later married Fredrick Vincent Hart (1843-1914), stained glass artist, who worked in an aesthetic Burne-Jones style, for Daniel Cottier. She appears in his stained glass window as Psalm 103, St Nicholas Church, Cramlington (see Waters and Carew Cox "Damozels and Deities pl. 514 p. 321). A letter exists c.1867-8 from Burne-Jones to Augusta headed The Grange Northend, Fulham: "Dear Augusta I am afraid this week I shall not be quite ready for work: the confusion is too horrible to be quickly dissipated - will you begin sitting again to me please on Thursday week & come every thursday after that. Mr Solomon is here & sends his love Yours everything E Burne Jones"
This drawing of Augusta Jones bears a striking similarity to the features of Fanny Cornforth, which may have been the reason for her popularity with Burne-Jones as a facial model.