The painting depicts a domestic scene in which a Nair woman adorning her hair with a garland of flowers in front of a mirror.

Receiving praise at the international and national level, the painting had brought the young Ravi Varma into the attention of the global artistic community, as well as leading him on to later become one of the most well known modern Indian painters.

After receiving an award for this task, he had gone on to paint The Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair, which was to be his first point of recognition in the national and international level.

[5] Ravi Varma's paintings of Nair women in general were seen as part of a turning point in the discourse on female sexuality within the matrilineal context.

[6] The painting was awarded the first prize, the prestigious Governor's Gold Medal, when it was presented at the Madras Fine Arts Society Exhibition of 1873, bringing Raja Ravi Varma into the limelight.