The scattered light on this model's weathered face exemplifies the teachings of the Royal Academy faculty, who urged their students to reduce the basic harmony of their paintings to soft, shadowy grays, relieved only by sharp and colorful details in the highlights.
Modeling was an established profession for many locals in Munich. Elderly peasants were favored by students, since their aged features provided more character and fine detail.
Looking back on studying elderly models and tonal harmonies at the Academy, a fellow student remembered, "Ruins of mankind, we used to call them. We scrutinized their faces and tried to render the studies in a grayish green tone. We called such work 'good in tone.'"
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