Inspired by her interest in the role of the female figure in western portraiture, the British love affair with costume drama and the role the artist within the modern day heritage industry, Victoria selected Ross's painting as symbolic of the portrait art of the Victoria era. In her photographic performance Victoria took on the posture of Burdett-Coutts in a faithful re-staging of the original painting shot in the Mid-Victorian Period Room at the Geffrye Museum.

By using the museum Victoria can be assured of the historical authenticity of the objects she uses in the photograph, except that is for the book on the chair, which is from her own collection and is in fact a modern day spy novel. A tiny reference to Victoria's own childhood fantasy of growing up to become an undercover agent.