'Whom Can This Be From?'

Leslie's 'Whom Can This Be From?' is a companion subject to 'Who Can This Be?' — depicting the social drama of receiving an anonymous letter or gift, the question of identity creating romantic or comedic suspense. The subject of receiving or reading a mysterious message was endlessly productive for Victorian genre painting, its combination of private emotion and social performance creating the kind of intimate psychological drama that Victorian audiences particularly enjoyed in genre painting. Leslie's handling — the figure's absorbed attention, the carefully rendered interior setting — creates an image of genuine human curiosity rather than merely decorative pretense.

The painting focuses on the protagonist's expression, rendered with subtle psychological observation. The warm domestic setting provides context without distracting from the central narrative moment.