Painted in oil on oakpanel, the painting combines portraiture, symbolism, and idealized beauty in a richly detailed domestic setting. In the center of the composition is a young naked woman on a bathtub lined with white cloth. Her pale luminous skin glows against the dark background. Luxurious crimson curtains frame the painting like a theatrical stage which draws the attention of viewers. The woman is wearing pearl earrings, bracelets, and a jeweled cap emphasizing her aristrocratic status despite her state of nakedness. The bather is holding a pink carnation in her hand which symbolizes love, marriage, and affection. Beside her is a nursemaid who cradles and breastfeeds an infant while a young child reaches toward a bowl of fruit. These figures introduces themes of motherhood and domestic life. There is an another servant holding a pitcher near a large fireplace to pour additional warm water for the bath. Clouet carefully differentiates their social status and roles through facial features, clothing, and posture. He combines the meticulous detail associated with Flemish painting with the elegance and idealized beauty of the Italian Renaissance.
The representation of the painting by François Clouet, the use of the naked body of the woman as a representation of beauty is very interesting, as the status of the figure can be interpreted by the viewer due to the placing of the jewelry.
