Artwork
Man and Woman with Two Dogs, known as 'Teasing the Pet'
Man and Woman with Two Dogs, known as 'Teasing the Pet' is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Frans van Mieris the Elder. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Mauritshuis.
About this work
Overview
Frans van Mieris the Elder, a prominent Dutch genre painter of the Golden Age, completed the oil work *Man and Woman with Two Dogs, known as ‘Teasing the Pet’* in 1660. The composition presents a domestic interior where a couple, each holding a dog, stands before a table draped with a patterned rug, set against a muted, dark backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures a moment of informal interaction: the woman in a red‑white dress with a blue skirt and the man in a brown coat and hat each engage with their pets, suggesting a leisurely, intimate scene of everyday life. The title alludes to a playful teasing of the animals, emphasizing the gentle, human‑animal bond common in 17th‑century Dutch genre scenes.
Technique & Style
Van Mieris employs his characteristic precision, rendering fabrics and fur with fine brushwork that highlights texture. The vivid reds and blues of the clothing contrast sharply with the subdued background, creating depth and focus on the figures. The careful modeling of light on the dogs’ coats adds a subtle sense of movement within the otherwise static setting.
History & Provenance
The work remains in the collection of the Mauritshuis in The Hague, where it is displayed among other Dutch Golden Age pieces. Van Mieris, part of a family of painters whose descendants continued the genre tradition, produced this painting during a period when domestic scenes were highly prized by collectors.
Artist & collection
Artist
Frans van Mieris the Elder (16 April 1635 – 12 March 1681), was a Dutch Golden Age genre and portrait painter.
