About the painting - by Daniela Ria:

Scottish terrier in early noblewoman dress. The breed originated in Scotland (their first name was the Aberdeen Terrier) in about the 1700s, but had achieved their final size and shape by 1890. Scotties are natural "diggers," like other terriers, whose name derives from the same root as "terre," French for "earth." Scotties were originally bred to hunt badgers in the Highlands of Scotland.