A woman sits on a stone ledge in the foreground, her body turned slightly to the right and her gaze directed outward, her bare skin catching the light that falls from above. Her left arm is bent, resting on her knee, and her white garment slips from her shoulder, exposing her chest and part of her breast. A black skirt or drapery covers her lap, while her feet are planted on a stone step, toes splayed and relaxed.

Red ribbons or flowers are woven into her hair, which is styled up, and her lips are slightly parted as she smiles faintly and looks into the distance. To the left, a young Black servant in a blue-green and brownish-red garment kneels, holding out a white letter on a tray, his face turned toward the seated woman. Behind her, another woman stands, her face framed by a headband and dark hair, and she is combing or arranging the central figure’s hair with one hand while her other arm is raised in a graceful arc.

A heavy red drapery hangs above, adding a rich burst of color to the upper part of the composition. The background opens onto a grand stone architecture with arches, columns, and a fountain, rendered with loose, energetic brushwork that contrasts with the more detailed figures in the foreground. Soft, golden light falls across the scene, highlighting the pale skin of the central woman and the folds of drapery, while shadows deepen the spaces beneath the ledge and around the dog.

The paint is applied with visible, textured brushstrokes, especially in the drapery and background, giving the surface a sense of movement and vitality.