The Virgin and her companions gather around Saint Dominic beneath a heavenly opening populated by cherubs. Their closely interwoven gestures give the miraculous episode the tenderness of an intimate encounter, while the light above connects the earthly group with the celestial realm.

The subject belongs to the tradition of Marian lactation miracles, in which the Virgin's milk signifies spiritual nourishment, mercy and protection. Here maternal care extends beyond the Christ Child to a saint, emphasising Mary's role as an intercessor.

The catalogue of El Manto de los Pueblos places the canvas in the artistic circle of Bernardo Rodríguez. Its delicate execution, composition and colour support the attribution to the Quito painter and a date in the late eighteenth century.