Finnish artist Beda Maria Stjernschantz belonged to a prominent noble family, but was left penniless after the death of her father.

In May 1894, the poor 26-year-old artist travelled alone to Pitkäranta, Impilahti Parish, to capture glassblowers at work. Beda was interested in glassblowing, and there was a glass plant there that produced about 10 million bottles annually.

In Pitkäranta the artist stayed with her friends – the factory medical doctor Magnus Gadd and his wife Hildegard.

Beda spent a lot of time at the Pitkäranta glass plant. Her “Glassblowers” painting is probably the first depiction of factory labour in Finnish art. In 1900, the painting was exhibited at the Paris World Exhibition.