Born Julius Pincas, Pascin left his Bulgarian and Romanian wealthy financier family as a teenager to travel the world and pursue an artistic career. First working and studying in Vienna, Munich and Berlin, he earned a living in these early years illustrating satirical magazines.

Settling in Paris in 1905 he habituated the Café du Dome, Montparnasse, associating with a group of Jewish-German artists, who became known as the Domiers through their exhibitions in Dusseldorf. Above all however, Pascin became a central figure in the School of Paris circle, the group of emigrant artists centred in Montmartre around Chagall, and including Modigliani, Soutine, Foujita, Kisling and Per Krohg. This circle was to become one of the most important strands in French art between the two World Wars, independent of contemporary avant-garde movements such as Surrealism. The artists won acclaim for their passionate commitment to their artistic vision, their spirit of certainty, verve and vigour.

Aside from his satirical sketches, Pascin’s oeuvre is dominated by the female figure. Whilst residing at rue Joseph Bara, the artist surrounded himself with countless models, allowing the sensuousness of his life to flow effortlessly into his work. Passionate about drawing, 'Portrait de jeune fille' is typical of the delicate studies Pascin made at this time. The drawing is beautifully rendered yet distinctly non-idealized, allowing neither moral nor formal concerns to take control.

It was his profound curiosity in the plain realities of human nature that earned Pascin widespread acclaim. After his death in 1930, all the artists, models and galleries in Paris turned out to honour him. The following year, major retrospective exhibitions were staged at the Downtown Gallery, New York and at the Bernhein-Jeune Gallery, Paris.