Rembrandt's picture has been painted with an extraordinary array of brushstrokes.

Thick smears of paint are applied with broad rapid brushstrokes around the dress and the sketchiness, particularly around the hand, gives it a spontaneous, unfinished quality. But other areas, such as around the face, are quite polished.

The sketchiness and the small scale of the picture support the idea that it may have served as a preliminary study for a larger painting.

But there is no evidence that such a painting was ever made, and Rembrandt did not usually make preliminary oil sketches for bigger projects. The small scale of the painting also gives it a sense of intimacy, and suggests that it was intended as a personal piece. The fact that he signed and dated the picture indicates that he considered it finished.

If not a study for another painting, this picture could have served as a kind of technical exercise for Rembrandt. Because this was a private work, and not a formal commission, Rembrandt had the freedom to paint what he liked and to experiment with his technique and composition.

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