Artwork
Old Woman Plucking a Cock
Old Woman Plucking a Cock is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Abraham de Pape. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Mauritshuis.
About this work
Overview
Abraham de Pape’s oil painting, dated 1655, depicts a domestic interior in which an elderly woman attends to a rooster. The work is part of the collection of the Mauritshuis in The Hague and exemplifies the Dutch genre tradition of the mid‑seventeenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, an aged woman in a white cap, red dress and black apron, sits on a chair with a rooster perched on her lap. She holds the bird with one hand while extracting its feathers with the other, suggesting a routine of household maintenance or perhaps a symbolic reference to the passage of time and the everyday labor of the lower classes.
Technique & Style
De Pape employs a restrained palette and a strong contrast of light and dark, characteristic of chiaroscuro, to focus attention on the figures. The limited illumination entering from a narrow left‑hand window creates a dramatic chiaroscuro effect, emphasizing the textures of the woman’s clothing, the bird’s plumage, and the surrounding objects such as the broom and barrel.
History & Provenance
The canvas was painted in 1655 and later entered the Mauritshuis collection, where it remains on display. Documentation of its early ownership is scarce, but the work has been consistently attributed to de Pape since the 19th century, confirming its place within his modest oeuvre of genre scenes.
Context
The painting reflects the Dutch Golden Age’s interest in everyday life, where artists often recorded humble activities with a moral undertone. By focusing on an ordinary task, de Pape aligns with contemporaries who used genre scenes to comment on social values and the dignity of labor.
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