The famous actress was portrayed on numerous occasions in the role of some of the characters she played on stage. Here she represents Finea, the protagonist of Lope de Vega's play, La dama boba, written in 1613. This painting is set indoors, with the actress's husband in the background. He, too, was an actor and is shown dressed for the same comedy.

The recreation of clothing from Lope de Vega's time allows Sorolla to pay clear homage to the painting of Velasquez. This is especially noticeable in his way of rendering the actress's farthingale. The rich colors based on white, carmine and pink, are applied with great freedom and modernity, making this one of Sorolla's finest works.

This painting was made around 1897. It's original format was smaller, but years later the artist himself transformed this work, adding two horizontal strips and changing the actress's serious expression to a happier one. He also changed the date to 1906.