Kathleen as Madame X

One of my favorite paintings is Madame X by John Singer Sargent and I'd always wanted to try and recreate it with photography. I got my chance when I met Kathleen, a local actress whose headshot I'd taken. She had some physical qualities that resembled Madam Gatreau in the famously scandalous portrait...the pale luminous skin, reddish hair and beautiful profile. I took an old black prom dress and made it over as much as I could to look like her dress. Not a perfect copy but not bad!