Considering the main characters of the other compositions in the Album, such as the one overleaf, this young woman shown on the bed next to her maid can only be understood in a context of prostitution. It is impossible, therefore, to relate this scene to the Duchess of Alba and her servants, as some historians have asserted in the past. With very few strokes and some shadows, Goya is able to recreate the tension between the two figures, engaged in such different but complementary activities.

Matilla Rodríguez, José Manuel, Ligereza y atrevimiento. Dibujos de Goya, Santander, Fundación Botín, 2017, p.64 n.26A; 170 n.26A