A woman in a striking black dress sits poised against a muted green background, her right arm elegantly draped over the armrest of a dark upholstered chair. Her gaze is direct and unwavering, with large, dark eyes and sharply defined eyebrows that lend her expression a sense of intensity and self-assurance. Her hair is swept up in an elaborate style, framing her pale face and accentuating the contrast with her dark attire.

The dress, rendered in deep, lustrous blacks, catches the light in subtle highlights, suggesting the sheen of satin or silk through fluid, confident brushstrokes. The background is painted in broad, soft strokes of green and grey, providing a subdued, almost abstract setting that places full attention on the figure. The composition is oval, focusing the viewer’s attention on the sitter and her immediate surroundings, with no extraneous detail to distract from her presence.

A deep, plush cushion in a dark hue is visible behind the woman, pressed into the corner of the chair and creating a subtle contrast with the smooth fabric of her dress. The lower left edge of the painting reveals part of the wooden frame of the chair, rendered in a reddish-brown tone with a curved contour. Light falls most strongly on the woman's upper chest, face, and forearms, leaving the lower part of her dress and the background in deeper shadow.

The background is mottled with irregular, loose brushstrokes that blend green and grey, giving it a textured, almost clouded appearance. The paint handling on the dress is especially fluid and dynamic, with sweeping, curving strokes that suggest movement and the reflective quality of the fabric. The artist’s signature appears in the lower right, confirming the work as a creation of Joaquín Sorolla. The artist’s brushwork is especially visible in the rendering of the dress and background, where loose, expressive strokes contrast with the smooth modelling of the face and arms.

The painting’s oval format enhances the intimacy of the composition, enclosing the sitter in a refined, almost cameo-like frame.