Tove Jansson spent her childhood summers in Pellinge in the Porvoo archipelago, which became the most beloved and significant place in her life. The natural beauty and life in the archipelago left its mark on both her literary and artistic output. In her book "The Sculptor's Daughter", Jansson describes the forest in Pellinge, which she thought resembled that in John Bauer's drawings. Jansson was a great admirer of John Bauer's art, particularly his depiction of forests in muted shades of grey and brown, which fascinated her.

Influences from Bauer is also reflected in the painting "The Berry Pickers" (1941), now for sale. The work was undoubtedly painted in the forests of Pellinge, which later served as the inspiration for the story "What Happened Next?". While Bauer used a small, pale-haired princess as an eye-catcher in his mysterious forest scenes, Jansson has placed three white-clad berry-pickers in a rocky archipelago forest, with the sea looming on the distant horizon. The work depicts both the rugged landscape and the archipelago life in Itä-Uusimaa that Jansson loved.