Although this painting is highly elaborated, the brushwork is extremely loose and free. The head of the principal figure and the rest of her body are painted with heavily impastoed strokes and lines that model the forms. Details are emphasised with sporadic, precise strokes that apply the pigment with a large amount of lead and which stand out strongly from the background.

The x-ray reveals that Rembrandt initially devised the composition in a different manner, subsequently making modifications over an initial design.