Rosalba Carriera achieved a painterly effect in this pastel through combining wet and dry applications. By mixing a ground pastel into a wet vehicle, she was able to create a thick paste, which she applied with a brush in fluid and textured strokes. Innovative in her technique, Carriera was the first artist to soften figures with stumping�dragging the flat side of her chalk lightly over a contrasting color. This method is particularly effective for depicting diaphanous materials, as evidenced by Carriera�s portrayal of this figure�s light complexion.