Monet's family disapproved of his relationship with Camille Doncieux, and she was never accepted by his parents. From 1866 until her death in 1879, however, she was there at his side and on his canvases. This first portrait was completed in four days leading up to 20 March 1866, the deadline for submission to the Salon, where it replaced the unfinished D閖euner sur l'Herbe. The dark, neutral background provided Monet with a quick and easy solution that nevertheless gave him the chance to prove his talent for figure painting. The masterly treatment of the silk dress would give the work its title, The Woman in the Green Dress. It was a 'huge success' when it was presented at the Salon, prompting Zola to say of Monet: 'Here is a strong character, a man among all these eunuchs.'
