Rosa Rolanda Covarrubias (1895-1970) began her career as a dancer in New York in 1916 and was soon travelling with a dance company through the United States and Europe. In 1926, Rosa began working as a photogram artist and photographer. From 1928, she worked successfully as a painter. 

Edward Steichen’s photograph of Rosa Covarrubias in his garden in Voulangis was likely taken while Rosa was dancing in Paris in the early 1920s. Constantin Brancusi’s (1876-1957) Endless Column in the background was installed in Steichen’s garden in 1922.