Artwork
The Waffle Maker
The Waffle Maker is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Alexander Hugo Bakker Korff. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
The Waffle Maker, an oil painting executed around 1850 by Dutch artist Alexander Hugo Bakker Korff, presents a domestic interior scene. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies mid‑nineteenth‑century genre painting, focusing on everyday life rather than historical or mythological subjects.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre of the composition a woman in a white cap and pink apron leans over a low table, turning a pan as if preparing waffles. She wears a dark skirt, her sleeves rolled up, suggesting active labor. The modest kitchen setting, with a tiled wall, brick oven and a shelf of pots, underscores themes of household routine and the quiet dignity of domestic work.
Technique & Style
Bakker Korff employs a chiaroscuro effect, allowing a strong light source to illuminate the woman’s face and the tabletop while the surrounding room recedes into shadow. This contrast not only models the figure’s features but also guides the viewer’s attention to the central act of cooking, creating a sense of depth and intimacy within the confined space.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1850, The Waffle Maker entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings as part of its broader acquisition of 19th‑century Dutch genre paintings. The museum’s records list the work under the artist’s name without indication of earlier private ownership, suggesting it may have been acquired directly from the artist’s estate or a contemporary dealer.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Alexander Hugo Bakker Korff (1824–1882) was an artist, born in The Hague.
