Interior with a lady seated, a dog on her lap

Summary

A young woman sits with a small brown and white puppy on her knee, her right elbow resting on a table. Her face is pensive as she inhales the scent of a pink rose in her right hand. Her fine dress has a gold satin skirt and an elaborate pink bodice, with gold stitching down the front, deep lace cuffs and a band of black or dark green velvet that sits off the shoulder. A large silver pendant is pinned prominently to the front of her bodice. A single string of pearls is around her neck and her hair is held back tightly by a band with a red tassel at the side. This is not a typical subject for de Hooch, who specialised in painting courtyard, kitchen and garden scenes, at which he excelled, and is most likely to be the work of a follower.