Artwork
Breakfast
Breakfast is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gabriel Metsu. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Breakfast is a 17th-century oil painting by Dutch artist Gabriël Metsu, created around 1660. It is one of 133 surviving works attributed to the artist.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a quiet domestic scene: a seated woman in a blue and white dress and a standing man in a brown jacket, surrounded by various objects on a table, including food, a large horn, and a red cloth. A small dog is also present.
Technique & Style
The work showcases Metsu's use of chiaroscuro and glazing techniques, creating a sense of depth and realism characteristic of Dutch Golden Age art. The dark background and column on the left side add to the scene's dimensionality.
History & Provenance
Breakfast is part of the State Hermitage Museum's collection. It is an example of Metsu's genre scene work, a tradition he contributed to alongside other themes like history, still life, and portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gabriël Metsu (1629–1667) was a Dutch painter of history paintings, still lifes, portraits, and genre works.
The Hunter and a Woman
Young Woman Serving Wine to Cavalier
Oyster Eaters
An Elegant Company in an Interior
Glass of Lemonade
Tric-Trac Players
The Lace Maker
Self-portrait of the artist with his wife Isabella de Wolff in the inn
Man with a glass and a woman with a jug in an interior
The Queen of Hearts
Love Sickness
Dutch courtship