Who painted The Cook and His Wife?

The Cook and His Wife was painted by Albrecht Dürer in 1496.

Where can I see The Cook and His Wife?

The Cook and His Wife is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Cook and His Wife?

The Cook and His Wife is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

The Cook and His Wife

Albrecht Dürer , 1496

The Cook and His Wife is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1496 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Albrecht Dürer’s early print, The Cook and His Wife, dates to around 1496 and is executed as an engraving on laid paper. The image presents a male figure, identified as a cook, standing beside a female companion. Both figures are rendered with a serious demeanor, their forms outlined in crisp, precise lines that emphasize physical presence and attire.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts a domestic scene: a cook holding a wooden spoon, his belt bearing a knife, and a woman in a long dress topped with a white cap. The juxtaposition of the two figures suggests a partnership within a household setting, highlighting everyday labor and the social roles of men and women in late‑15th‑century German life.

Technique & Style

Dürer employed fine parallel hatching to model shadows and texture, a hallmark of early engraving. The delicate cross‑hatching builds depth on the figures’ clothing and musculature, while the sharp line work defines facial expressions and the surrounding space. The use of laid paper provides a subtle tooth that interacts with the ink, enhancing tonal variation.

History & Provenance

The print is part of the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its attribution to Dürer and its early date place it among the artist’s formative works, created shortly after his apprenticeship and before his later, more complex compositions. The piece has been documented in the museum’s holdings since the mid‑20th century.