Whilst living and working in Paris Gabain began to work on a theme centred on ‘melancholic young females.’
She produced numerous lithographic images of a lonely young female.
Gabain revisited this theme later on in her career and produced several different images of a sad young bride.
She always used her favourite model, Carmen Watson, in these depictions.
By the time Carmen was married in 1940 she had posed over sixty times for Gabain.
It was through an earlier image, The Striped Petticoat, that she met Harold J. L. Wright of Messrs. Colnaghi and Co. He saw this lithograph and contacted Gabain to ask her if Colnaghi’s could become her publishers.
This led to a lifelong friendship.

The melancholic theme continued with images centred on Pierrot and Columbine.
Pierrot was based upon the character portrayed by Jean-Gaspard Deburau, a poignant, passionate and tragic person who plays the role of a sad clown madly in love with Columbine, a beautiful, young ballet dancer.
Gabain loved the ballet and produced a series of young ballet dancers in different medias.
Whilst living and working in Paris Gabain began to work on a theme centred on ‘melancholic young females.’ She produced numerous lithographic images of a lonely young female. Gabain revisited this theme later on in her career and produced several different images of a sad young bride. She always used her favourite model, Carmen Watson, in these depictions. By the time Carmen was married in 1940 she had posed over sixty times for Gabain. It was through an earlier image, The Striped Petticoat, that she met Harold J. L. Wright of Messrs. Colnaghi and Co. He saw this lithograph and contacted Gabain to ask her if Colnaghi’s could become her publishers. This led to a lifelong friendship.
The melancholic theme continued with images centred on Pierrot and Columbine. Pierrot was based upon the character portrayed by Jean-Gaspard Deburau, a poignant, passionate and tragic person who plays the role of a sad clown madly in love with Columbine, a beautiful, young ballet dancer. Gabain loved the ballet and produced a series of young ballet dancers in different medias.
Ethel Léontine Gabain