Valdur Ohakas was one of the leading painters of the 1960s, whose exuberant artistic nature continuously produced new works. As a highly playful artist, Ohakas experimented with various approaches, though he was most influenced by Picasso’s cubist experiments and methods emphasizing strong color planes and clear contours. Peeter Mudist met Ohakas around the time this painting was created and later wrote: “He really paints; others just draw color patches, colorize, make artistic works, philosophize, etc.”

Ohakas differed from the pre-war canon of Estonian art, being direct and sometimes even brutal with his colors and forms. The scene itself carries no ceremonial quality; rather, Ohakas portrays the harsher side of life, even though his own wild days were becoming part of the past. At the same time, the work conveys empathy—we see and sense the woman’s sadness and solitude. Strong and unexpected colors (for example, pink) add both drama and a touch of surrealism to the piece.