A young woman gazes outward with a composed, almost solemn expression, her pale face framed by an elaborate mass of brown hair swept wide to either side. Her cheeks are softly flushed with pink, and her lips are delicately tinted in a coral hue, standing out against the cool, even light that falls across her features. The sitter's blue-grey eyes are painted with subtle highlights, lending a sense of immediacy and presence to her direct stare.

Her hair is adorned with a translucent white veil and a dark ribbon or ornament above her right temple, the textures rendered with loose, fluid brushstrokes that suggest both volume and lightness. The lower edge of the composition reveals the upper part of her dress, where a faint gold line traces the neckline, and the fabric is described with broad, soft strokes of muted beige and grey. The background is a deep, shadowy brown, with a subtle gradation that sets off the sitter’s pale skin and the luminous whites of her attire.

Velázquez’s handling of paint is evident in the lively, textured surface of the hair, where highlights and shadows are built up with energetic, visible brushwork, while the face is modeled with smoother, blended transitions. Small touches of white at the edges of the veil and around the collar capture the play of light, enhancing the sense of depth and materiality. The Meadows Museum in Dallas, Texas, exhibits this artwork, and the museum's records confirm its attribution to Velázquez and its depiction of Queen Mariana.