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The Countess Nákó, née Berta Gyertyánffy (1820-82), the wife of a Transylvanian aristocrat who lived in Vienna and Pest alternatively, was an exceptional personality. While her contemporaries appeared timid and docile, she was a self-assured woman. She is seated at her desk in a dignified pose; the writing utensils indicate that her interest went beyond the narrow limits of family life. She learnt to paint from Amerling; she was an excellent pianist, as well as a composer of music. Her salon was frequented by musicians and painters, including Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt. Amerling did not disguise the countess's magnetic, matured womanliness. By including personal objects and the dog nuzzling to its mistress, in the grandiose composition, Amerling created a portrait which is near to genre painting.
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