The oil painting tastefully outlined by a pair of golden and black lines seems to be inspired by the numerous paintings by the prolific modern Indian painter, Raja Ravi Varma, who chose different moods and states of the female mind for filling colors on his canvas. The background of this lady oil painting is a smoky blue wall which is reflected in the silver-framed long mirror as well. A deep red drape falls on the wall creating a lovely contrast without taking the eye away from the central subject- the lady in red.

The heroine has a perfect oval face with quintessentially Indian features which are beautified by the Kemp (red stone studded gold and pearl ornament) type jewelry- Addigai (choker), Thodu (earring), Valayal (bangles), Mookuthi (nose stud), Bullaku (septum pin), ring and Kasu Mala (necklace made from miniature gold coins). Her ornaments and rich red silk sari with no blouse underneath, underline the fact that the lady in this oil painting belongs to a rich, South Indian family, also known as the Nairs, among whom such attires are in vogue.

With her head turning to the left gently, the Nair woman in the oil painting is in the process of combing her luxurious black tresses that look magnificent against the contrasting red of her sari. Her left hand holds her hair in a bunch and her right hand with a traditional two-pronged comb is placed at some distance, two thick black strands hanging from it, adding a striking sense of maneuver to the painting.

Refined brushwork on the countenance of the Nair woman in this oil painting, with shades of yellow and pink giving hints of how the light in the room falls on her face and softened tints of white on the eyes, has given a brilliant realistic appearance to it. Behind the figure of the Nair woman, a part of a royal blue color chair is visible. The skill of the painter in this oil on canvas work can be best appreciated in the mirror, where, upon a closer look, one can see a faint reflection of the comb. What great levels of dedication to one’s craft!