The portrait dominated the wall, at the central point of the large hall. There was no way to enter the huge high-ceilinged room with the crystal chandelier and not have it immediately catch your attention. It was the most impressive thing in there, even though all the furniture and objects decorating the space were unique masterpieces of beauty. However, the enormous portrait painting was overwhelmingly imposing. So much so that it would freeze you in place, mesmerized for a few minutes. Its intricately carved, thick, gold-embellished frame betrayed a technique dating many years back into the past. The wear on it was indistinct from a distance but clearly visible when you got close. It definitely needed a refresh, a restoration. Yet the colors of the portrait were so vivid and bright, as if it had been painted just yesterday, drawing all the attention of hungry eyes, overshadowing any comparison. In essence, however, it was not the colors that impressed, but what they depicted on the canvas.
Its clear height was one and a half meters and its width about two, but together with the thick frame, it appeared larger. The woman staring straight at you, almost ironically, was of unimaginable beauty. You wondered if it was ever possible for such perfection to exist in a single unique being. She was seated and leaning on a recliner covered with deep blue velvet and golden carved lion’s legs at its base. She wore a light, flowing, almost spider-web-like black dress, which allowed a clear view of her well-shaped legs with tight thighs and slender ankles. She wore no shoes, and the painted red nails of her feet contrasted against the blue fabric. Her waist was ring-like, and the curve of her right hip formed a wonderfully provocative hemisphere. Her rich, firm chest stood upright in place and was equally provocative and sensual, inviting you to touch it.