Jean-Baptiste Greuze's laundress glances up at us mischievously in the midst of this sultry scene of domesticity. She bends over a basin of water and washes linens. The background of The Laundress consists of dreary grey and brown tones. Everyday items such as a pitcher, baskets, and wooden cabinets mirror the sentiments of the Sensibility movement, which sought to challenge the Rococo portrayal of aristocratic life.

This painting illustrates an ordinary chore, laundry. However, the young, rosy-faced laundress assumes a cheeky pose. She presents a red-slippered foot, a scandalous act of exposure for her time. The muted tones of the laundress's clothes and background make the scarlet slipper, positioned in the bottom center of the canvas, a focal point. Our subject looks directly at the viewer, almost as if she has been interrupted in a private moment.

Although Greuze aims to portray daily life, he seems to glamorize the act of laundry with this Art History Hottie. The laundry room gets a bit more steamy with the addition of an oh-so-subtle ankle reveal and a charming glance.