The painting depicts a woman, seated on an upholstered white chair, before a patterned grey-green backdrop. The woman has dark hair which is tied up with an orange ribbon, and she wears a fine light pink silk dress with a lace shawl across her shoulders. The woman smiles and looks down at her young daughter, who stands on her right. This girl is dressed in a white silk gown, with a large pink bow. Her light brown hair is tied up with a red ribbon. The girl looks off to her right, to something or someone unknown to the viewer, and her mouth is slightly ajar, as though she is about to speak. The girl places her hand on the head of a black and tan hound, which rests on the woman’s lap. The woman holds the dog’s neck with her left hand, and gently rests her right on her daughter’s arm.

Short, well-blended strokes of paint have been employed to render the scene in a highly naturalistic way. The light has been beautifully portrayed, with great attention paid to the way it catches on the figures’ fine clothing. There is a great sense of delicacy and intimacy created in this painting.

‘G. Costa’ is signed in the upper left of the canvas. Giovanni Costa was an Italian painter who was active in the 19th Century.

Canvas: Height 107cm, width 82cm
Frame: Height 127cm, width 101.5cm, depth 7cm