A woman reclines across a red divan, her body stretched out diagonally from the lower left to the upper right of the canvas. Her gaze drifts away from the viewer, her expression calm and introspective, as if lost in thought or distant music. The background is a dark, heavy drapery that frames her figure and intensifies the contrast with the luminous whites and pinks of her dress and the divan.

The pillows beneath her elbow and along her side are painted in varying shades of rose and mauve, their plush texture suggested by subtle highlights and shadows. The composition is carefully balanced, with the curve of the lyre-guitar echoing the arc of her reclining body, and the sweep of the drapery leading the eye across the canvas. The light falls softly from the left, illuminating her face, arm, and the folds of her dress, while the rest of the scene recedes into shadow.

Paint is applied smoothly in the flesh tones and fabrics, while the background drapery is broader and more atmospheric. The lyre-guitar rests behind her right arm, its golden wood gleaming against the deep shadows of the drapery. The lower right corner of the canvas shows the red fabric of the divan pooling in loose, irregular folds.

The background drapery is painted in a deep, warm brown, with broad, sweeping brushstrokes that suggest heavy velvet. Her shoes are pale and pointed, with subtle highlights indicating a satiny texture. A faint shadow is cast by her body onto the divan, especially beneath her legs and along her left side.

The edges of the canvas, particularly at the upper left and lower right, dissolve into darker tones, creating a vignette effect that draws attention to the central figure. This is Portrait of the Marchioness of Santa Cruz, created by Francisco de Goya in 1805.