Mann studied at the Slade School (under Alphonse Legros), and was awarded a Slade Travelling Studentship in 1887, allowing him to paint in Italy, Algiers, and Spain. Two years later, he exhibited over 60 of his sketches from abroad at T Lawrie & Sons Galleries in Glasgow, before moving to London, where he became a successful portrait painter and wrote a book on the subject.

This study of an 'Italian Girl' was exhibited at the 1888 International Exhibition of Science, Art & Industry in Glasgow.