The subject of the painting could be seen as a reference to Mary Henrietta Stuart, sister of the king and widow of stadtholder William II of Orange.

Dou developed a refined and polished technique that enabled him to deliver exceptionally detailed paintings.

Realistic and meticulous genre paintings are therefore the trademark of the Leiden Fijnschilder, of which Dou was the leader.

In apparent disarray are depicted a fallen lantern, a broom, a bunch of carrots, a fish on a plate and a dead bird.

For example, the handiwork of the young mother symbolizes virtue, as does the footstool that is completely covered by the woman's skirt.

[6][7] After the painting had hung in one of the English royal palaces for decades, statdtholder William III of Orange brought the work back to the Netherlands.