One of the leading progressives in post-World War I Los Angeles, John Hubbard Rich settled in Southern California in 1914. A student of the prominent Boston-based painter Edmund Tarbell, Rich's work soon evolved beyond his training. Although the figure in Mme. Yup See is fully realized, Rich’s rapid, Impressionistic paint handling dominates the picture. The background flickers with horizontal streaks of pink, ultramarine blue, and yellow, sparkling hues that echo the deeper colors of the sitter's attire.
The See family has a unique history in the Los Angeles area. Fong See, the patriarch, emigrated from China to California, settling in Los Angeles, where he emerged as one of the most prominent figures in the city's Chinatown. His family owned and operated popular antique stores, attracting prominent clients including the architects Charles and Henry Greene, the art dealer Grace Nicholson, and eventually the young motion picture companies. Yup See’s place within the family has not been determined; however, it seems that Rich intended his portrait as a tribute to the Chinese American community. He placed this striking woman among objects of the kind the Sees would have sold, and she wears a Qing Dynasty silk robe with an embroidered design based on the nine-dragon motif that was the prerogative of the Chinese royal family and court. The simple frame, with its decoration limited to the corners, was also designed and carved by the artist.
