This painting shows the intrepid way in which Hilleström depicted intimate, sometimes unpleasant, tasks. In order to see better, the woman leans over the light source behind the folding screen, casting a dramatic shadow on the wall – an effect typical of the artist’s portrayals of servants’ lives, their surroundings and everyday tasks. He was inspired by the likes of the French artist Jean Siméon Chardin and old Dutch and Flemish masters.