Portrait of a girl in a red dress. Not later than Vasily Ivanovich Surikov (1848-1916)

The watercolor presents a portrait of a young girl, rendered with a loose and expressive brushstroke characteristic of Impressionist techniques. The composition is tightly cropped, focusing solely on her head and shoulders; this close framing intensifies the viewers focus on her countenance.
Here we see a child with auburn hair, styled in soft, cascading curls that frame her face. Her expression is one of quiet contemplation, perhaps tinged with a hint of melancholy. The eyes are rendered with delicate detail, conveying an impression of intelligence and sensitivity. A slight furrow between her brows suggests a thoughtful nature.
The girl wears a dress of vibrant red, the color dominating the visual field and drawing immediate attention. The fabric appears textured, achieved through layered washes of pigment that suggest both richness and movement. A white collar with dark detailing provides contrast against the red, subtly highlighting the neckline.
The background is indistinct, rendered in muted tones that allow the girl to emerge as the central focus. This lack of detail contributes to a sense of intimacy and immediacy, as if the viewer were observing her in a fleeting moment. The artist employed a limited palette, relying primarily on reds, browns, whites, and touches of blue to create a harmonious and unified effect.
Subtly, the red dress might symbolize vitality or perhaps even a youthful exuberance that contrasts with the girl’s pensive expression. The overall impression is one of delicate beauty and quiet introspection; it suggests a portrait not merely of physical likeness but also of character and inner life. The work evokes a sense of nostalgia, hinting at a lost innocence or a fleeting moment in time captured with remarkable sensitivity.