Artwork
Glass of Lemonade
Glass of Lemonade is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerard ter Borch. It dates from 1663 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
This is a quiet Dutch painting from the 1600s.
A glass of lemonade sits on a table.
Gerard ter Borch shows how light touches everyday things.
The painting traveled from France to Russia in 1815.
It joined the Empress Joséphine’s art collection.
Now it lives in St. Petersburg at the State Hermitage.
Want more like this? Look up the artist Gerard ter Borch.
Overview
‘Glass of Lemonade’ is an oil painting on canvas executed by Dutch painter Gerard ter Borch around 1664. The work measures a modest size and depicts a solitary glass of lemonade placed on a simple table. It exemplifies the quiet domestic genre scenes for which ter Borch is known, focusing on the subtle interplay of light and everyday objects.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a single glass filled with lemonade, rendered with delicate attention to the translucency of the liquid and the reflective qualities of the glass. By isolating this ordinary object, ter Borch invites contemplation of the fleeting nature of daily moments, emphasizing how ordinary items can become focal points of visual interest.
Technique & Style
Ter Borch employs a restrained palette and fine brushwork to capture the nuanced effects of natural light falling across the scene. The smooth handling of oil paint creates a luminous surface, while the careful modeling of volume conveys the texture of the glass and the subtle sheen of the liquid, hallmarks of Dutch 17th‑century realism.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Russian State Hermitage Museum in 1815 as part of the collection assembled by Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, which was transferred from France to Russia. Since its acquisition, it has been displayed in the New Hermitage, specifically in Room 249, where it remains accessible to the public.
Context
Created during the Dutch Golden Age, the work reflects the period’s interest in genre scenes that portray quiet, intimate moments of middle‑class life. Ter Borch, a leading figure in this tradition, often explored the effects of light on domestic interiors, aligning this piece with broader artistic concerns of the mid‑17th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gerard ter Borch (Dutch: ; December 1617 – 8 December 1681), also known as Gerard Terburg (Dutch: ), was a Dutch Golden Age painter mainly of genre subjects.
