Mackay’s 1971 self portrait was painted at a time when Women’s Liberation was beginning to make a mark. Mackay portrays herself as a somewhat alternatively fashion-conscious young woman of her time. Her long, casually dishevelled hair is complemented by the sensuously shaggy feather boa. The brushwork evokes gradations of grey and black as the boa variously catches the light. The pale features are painted immaculately as to appear initially like those of an antique porcelain doll, although there is nothing remotely doll-like in the artist’s still, self-assertive look. The prominent watch on her upraised right wrist may act as some kind of memento mori, marking the passage of time, passing of youth. Curiously, the colours Mackay wears are traditional, archetypal western colours of the wedding dress and of mourning.