Mongolian woman

While the Chinese were tying up women's feet, Mongolian women were riding horses, engaging in combat, caring for their herds, and encouraging their men to make crucial decisions for the Mongolian Empire.

Even though women played an important role in Mongol society, they were still ranked lower than their fathers, husbands, and brothers. The males managed the herds and engaged in combat, while the women took care of the gers, manufactured the garments, milked the animals, and prepared the meals. Children were raised jointly by men and women. When a man in the family passes away, the widow has the legal right to inherit his assets and take over as the family's head. That was a truly odd social trend.

We can tell the person in the painting is married because she is wearing a headdress. As you might expect, these headdresses could be quite elaborate, as Mongols adored hats and headgears.