Artwork
Pandora
Pandora is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Barend Graat. It dates from 1688 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Barend Graat’s 1688 oil painting *Pandora* belongs to the Dutch Golden Age’s mythological genre. Executed in a single canvas, the work portrays a seated female figure with a child, accompanied by a gilded ewer that commemorates a member of the Amsterdam Guild. The painting is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is identified as Pandora, the mythic woman who opened the jar of evils. In Graat’s version she cradles an infant, suggesting themes of maternal care and the transmission of fate. The ewer, inscribed as a memorial to the artist’s brother, adds a personal layer of remembrance within the broader mythic narrative.
Technique & Style
Graat employs a chiaroscuro scheme, allowing the woman’s luminous skin to emerge from a darkened backdrop. Smooth, controlled brushwork renders the soft drapery of the red and white fabrics and the delicate features of the child. The metallic surface of the ewer is depicted with fine highlights that convey its gilded texture.
History & Provenance
Created in 1688, the painting was likely commissioned by the Amsterdam Guild as a tribute to Graat’s brother. It entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings in the 20th century, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s Dutch Golden Age collection.
Context
Graat, known for history paintings, altarpieces, landscapes, and portraits, also worked as a printmaker and draughtsman. *Pandora* reflects his versatility, merging mythological subject matter with a personal commemorative object, a practice not uncommon among Dutch artists who blended public commissions with private memorials.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Barend Graat (21 September 1628, Amsterdam – 4 November 1709, Amsterdam), was a Dutch painter of history- and altarpieces, landscapes and portraits in the Golden Age. He is also known as a printmaker and draughtsman.
