The youngest of the four daughters of the painter James Hayllar (1829-1920), Kate followed her sisters to become an artist. While her older sisters Jessica (see lot 1), Edith, and Mary tended to portray daily life at Castle Priory, the family home near Wallingford, Oxfordshire, Kate focussed on still lifes, often incorporating flowers and souvenirs from foreign lands. She exhibited at the Society of British Artists from 1883-1889, and at the Royal Academy from 1885-98.

The Canton famille rose teapot seen here was a style which was popular for export from China in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The wicker case it has come from suggests that it was a treasured possession. The camellias are native to East Asia and known as 'tea flowers' in China, reiterating the exoticism of this small arrangement on a chair.