Who painted Die Fünf Sinne?

Die Fünf Sinne was painted by Antonio Triva in 1662.

Where can I see Die Fünf Sinne?

Die Fünf Sinne is held by Bavarian State Painting Collections.

What movement is Die Fünf Sinne?

Die Fünf Sinne is associated with Early Baroque Italian.

Artwork

Die Fünf Sinne

Antonio Triva , 1662

Die Fünf Sinne is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Antonio Triva. It dates from 1662 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

About this work

Overview

Antonio Triva’s 1662 oil painting, titled Die Fünf Sinne, is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. The work presents a domestic interior where a robed woman is seated among four nude children, each engaged in a distinct activity that alludes to the five senses.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, a woman in a dark mantle, holds a flower to her nose, suggesting smell, while cradling an infant that may represent touch. The surrounding children embody sight, hearing, and taste: one looks toward a scroll, another clutches a bell, and a third appears to sample a fruit. Together the group forms an allegorical tableau of sensory experience.

Technique & Style

Triva employs a restrained palette of deep shadows and muted earth tones, contrasting the luminous skin of the children with the somber drapery of the adult. The composition is balanced through careful placement of figures and a receding stone backdrop, while the soft modeling of flesh demonstrates the artist’s mastery of chiaroscuro.

History & Provenance

Created in 1662, the painting entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings during the museum’s 19th‑century acquisitions of Baroque works. Its provenance prior to that period is not extensively documented, but it has remained in the museum’s collection since its initial purchase.

Context

Triva’s work reflects the 17th‑century Italian tradition of allegorical genre scenes, where everyday settings are used to illustrate moral or philosophical concepts. The inclusion of nude children and a modestly dressed adult aligns with contemporary approaches to depicting the senses as both natural and didactic.