other interpretations are possible (France)

This postcard isn’t the lascivious provocation that I initially thought it might be! Dominique, in his eighty-fifth postcard sent from France, explains that this is Gabrielle d’Estrées, the mistress of King Henri IV, in her bath with her sister the Duchess of Villars. He further explains that pinching the nipple might indicate that she was pregnant, especially given the servant in the background sewing a layette. Fascinating! ”Portrait présumé de Gabrielle d’Estrées et de sa soeur la duchesse de Villars (détail)”, around 1594. École de Fontainebleau.