Vuillard’s mother was a dressmaker, and her business was located in the family home. Once Vuillard began his artistic career, images of seamstresses and textiles became favored motifs. Here we see a young woman viewed from behind, hard at work. The light seems almost blinding as it comes through the window, highlighting her neck and hair. Swatches of fabric are affixed near the window’s edge, with the same colors appearing on the chair, the patterned wallpaper, and the items on her table. The center of the composition is filled with light, leaving most of the visual interest to the edges. This image was the frontispiece for an edition of La Revue blanche in 1894.