grammar of 前の誕生日プレゼントにもらった彼女の絵


> 彼女は小学３年生の時に日本に引っ越してきて、それがたまたま私達のクラスだった。
>
> 私達と出会うまで楽器の経験がなかったのが、信じられないほどヴィオラを巧みに操っている。
>
> しかも、父が有名な画家で絵をたしなむ。
>
> この前の誕生日プレゼントにもらった彼女の絵は、とても素晴らしくて宝物になった。

i'm not sure if ...彼女の絵 is saying "her drawing that she got as a birthday
present (from her father)" or "the drawing she drew that her father got as a
birthday present".

Given how the first part of this is extolling her brilliance as a musician it
would only be fitting to also suggest her mastery of other arts, but the しかも
start of the 3rd sentence makes it hard to absolutely assume that.

Since に marks the source of something is received from but is marking
前の誕生日プレゼント in this case, i find it awkward to rearrange this relative clause.

the ambiguity of 父が有名な画家で絵をたしなむ make it harder to decifer.

if someone is a "有名な画家", can they be someone only "has a taste for painting"?

thanks




この前の can mean "last, latest, previous" (≂前回の) or "recent, sometime ago"
(≂最近の/この間の).

彼女の絵 means "the drawing that she draw" in this context.

The subject of この前の誕生日プレゼントにもらった is the speaker. It literally means "I
received as my last/recent birthday present".

The に means **"as" or "for" (≂として)**. For this usage of に, see: [に to indicate
the role you want something to
play?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/65432/9831)

> （私が）この前の誕生日プレゼント **に** （彼女から）もらった彼女の絵は、とても素晴らしくて...

Literally: "Her drawing that I received from her **as** my last birthday
present was so wonderful..."  
→ "Her drawing she gave me **for** my last birthday was wonderful..."

* * *

The で is the continuative form of the copula だ. Considering the context, the
topic of this sentence should be 彼女. You could split it into two pieces, like
this:

> （彼女は）父が有名な画家 **で** 絵をたしなむ。  
>  → （彼女は）父が有名な画家だ。+ （彼女は）絵をたしなむ。

_Lit._ "(Speaking of her), the father is a famous painter." + "(She) enjoys
painting."

For more on the structure 「XはYが~~」(eg「象は鼻が長い」「彼女は目が青い」), these threads might
be of help:

  * [Can だ/だった be omitted before conjunctive が?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/44349/9831)
  * [Can two clauses joined by masu-stem form have a reason-action relationship?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/61290/9831)




この前の can mean "last, latest, previous" (≂前回の) or "recent, sometime ago"
(≂最近の/この間の).

彼女の絵 means "the drawing that she draw" in this context.

The subject of この前の誕生日プレゼントにもらった is the speaker. It literally means "I
received as my last/recent birthday present".

The に means **"as" or "for" (≂として)**. For this usage of に, see: [に to indicate
the role you want something to
play?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/65432/9831)

> （私が）この前の誕生日プレゼント **に** （彼女から）もらった彼女の絵は、とても素晴らしくて...

Literally: "Her drawing that I received from her **as** my last birthday
present was so wonderful..."  
→ "Her drawing she gave me **for** my last birthday was wonderful..."

* * *

The で is the continuative form of the copula だ. Considering the context, the
topic of this sentence should be 彼女. You could split it into two pieces, like
this:

> （彼女は）父が有名な画家 **で** 絵をたしなむ。  
>  → （彼女は）父が有名な画家だ。+ （彼女は）絵をたしなむ。

_Lit._ "(Speaking of her), the father is a famous painter." + "(She) enjoys
painting."

For more on the structure 「XはYが~~」(eg「象は鼻が長い」「彼女は目が青い」), these threads might
be of help:

  * [Can だ/だった be omitted before conjunctive が?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/44349/9831)
  * [Can two clauses joined by masu-stem form have a reason-action relationship?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/61290/9831)

