Julio Romero de Torres became known in the National Exposition of 1895 thanks to this work of impressionist character. The painter received an honorary mention in the exposition. The scene that inspired this painting was a simple and common incident: in the popular neighborhood of Santa Marina, a 15 years old young died. Julio Romero de Torres saw her inside the casket and decided to depict the dead young girl in the room surrounded by her relatives.

This painting combines the three aspects that moved profoundly the spirit of the painter: women, death and folk music. The artist took the title from a well-known soleá (Andalusian folk music) whose name was

Look how pretty she was!

Look how pretty she was!

She look like the Consolation

Virgin from Utrera.

The painter got especially influenced by the realist paintings of his father, and his brother Rafael, who years earlier also dealt with death as a painting subject. The painter’s palette of his last years tackles subjects with social content, always within the same style that characterizes and defines his beginnings.

The scene shows a young girl lying in her coffin and surrounded by her crying relatives. The light of the scene comes from a window situated on the left side where a boy leans out. Two candles watch over the coffin. They seem to be about to blow out due to the wind coming from the window.