In the foreground, at the center of the painting, sits Elżbieta Skotnicka, née Laskiewicz, depicted in full length. She is seated in a relaxed pose on the ground, in the shade of a tree, beside a small stream located in the lower left corner of the composition. She is turned to us with her right side, though she turns slightly in our direction. Her back is on the left side of the painting, and her legs on the right; her hands are crossed on her knees. She turns her head to her right, toward the viewer. She has dark eyes, a straight, long nose, and narrow lips. Her complexion is fair. Her hair is dark brown and arranged high, exposing her ears and neck.

Elżbieta wears a white, floor-length dress. The dress has a deep neckline that reveals her chest, neck, shoulders, and the upper part of her back. The sleeves are short, reaching halfway down the forearm. They are puffed, with narrow upper and lower sections and a wide, balloon-like middle section.

She sits on a piece of crumpled red shawl. Her right leg is tilted to the right and bent at the knee, while her left leg is extended. A bit of her left shoe is visible beneath the dress — a flat, dark grey slipper.

The edges of the red shawl feature delicate floral patterns in darker colours: burgundy and brown, with some gold accents shimmering in the light. The shawl is wrapped around Elżbieta’s hips, covering her thighs and part of her left leg down to mid-calf. The fabric also covers her left forearm, while her right hand rests on top of it. The shawl then falls to the ground on her right side, along the lower edge of the canvas. Here the pattern is the same, though the flowers are larger and the edge is finished with tassels.

Elżbieta’s arms are bent at the elbows and rest on her thighs. Her wrists are crossed—her left wrist resting on her right. Her left hand hangs loosely downward, while her right is held horizontally. Between her lightly curved fingers she holds a small yellow flower with a dark green stem and leaves.

Behind her left leg lies an upside-down straw hat with a wide brim. It is tied with a decorative blue ribbon that wraps from the top of the hat to the brim and is tied in a bow. From inside the hat spill freshly picked flowers of various sizes and colours: red-and-yellow, white, and pale pink. Behind the hat sits a small dog wearing a red collar with bells and the inscription “SKOTNICKA.” Its muzzle is black and its body brown; its ears are small. With large dark eyes it looks at Elżbieta and places its front paws on her left thigh. It is a pug, a breed very popular in the eighteenth century.

Elżbieta is shown against an Italian landscape that opens toward the center. On the left, behind her back, stands a broad tree trunk surrounded by deep green foliage. On the right, farther in the distance, stretches a green, shaded forest. A river flows beyond it, curving to the right and disappearing into the distance among the trees. The opposite riverbank is rocky and steep, giving way to grass and forest behind it.

In the distance, beyond the trees where the river disappears, rises a hill with faint outlines of walls and a tower. To the right of the hill, farther back, are steep rocky slopes of high mountains. The sky above the forest is yellow, illuminating thick grey clouds. In the upper right corner a small patch of pale blue sky appears.

Sunlight enters the painting from the left. It illuminates Elżbieta’s figure, the river, and the distant landscape with the hill and mountains, as well as the forest and grass on the opposite bank.

For members of the aristocracy, a journey through the most important European cultural centers—especially Italian cities—was considered an essential undertaking. This phenomenon was known as the Grand Tour. It was an educational journey aimed at becoming acquainted with Europe’s cultural heritage. The present painting was created during the Italian travels of Elżbieta and Michał Skotnicki.

Audio description: Agata Lech
Consultation: Adrian Wyka
Content consultation: Miłosz Kargol