The Coquette

What you see

The portrait is painted inside a dark oval, leaving the corners of the canvas gray. Shown half-length, the woman tilts her head and glances sideways at the viewer with a half smile. One hand raises a small yellow fruit; the other holds a purple, gold-bordered sari against her shoulder.

Light falls on her face, her hands and the green blouse with its embroidered edge, while the background sinks into shadow. She wears ear ornaments, a bell-shaped earring, a nose ring, necklaces of red stones and pearls, and bangles. Don’t miss the small reddish inscriptions in the lower corners of the canvas.