A pencil drawing with touches of watercolour showing the ballet dancer Marie Taglioni in her father Filippo Taglioni's ballet 'La Sylphide'. She is shown full-length, facing forward with her arms at her side. She is dressed in theatrical costume with wings on her back and a garland of flowers in her hair.
Inscribed below: Mademoiselle Taglioni as La Sylphide.
Inscribed lower left: P.V.f. K.P. June 9th 1834.

La Sylphide, which premiered in Paris is 1832, was choreographed by Marie and Paul Taglioni's father, Filippo Taglioni, to the music of Jean-Madeliene Schnietzhoeffer, with libretto by Adolphe Nourrit and loosely based on a story by Charles Nodier. It was designed by Filippo to showcase his daughter's talent at dancing and is credited with being the first ballet where dancing en pointe had an aesthetic rationale rather than being a clumsy acrobatic stunt.

Marie Taglioni was one of the most celebrated romantic ballet dancers of the nineteenth century. She was known for her light, graceful style of dancing as well as her considerable talent for dancing en pointe. Princess Victoria was a big admirer of Taglioni, and loved to see her perform. After watching one of Taglioni's many performances in the ballet La Sylphide, Princess Victoria described in her journal how "when she bounds and skips along the stage it is quite beautiful. Quite like a fawn. And she has grace in every action".