Artwork
A Woman combing a Boy's Hair
A Woman combing a Boy's Hair is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerrit Dou. It dates from 1646 and is held in the collection of the Alte Pinakothek.
About this work
Overview
Gerrit Dou’s oil painting *A Woman combing a Boy’s Hair* (1646) presents an intimate domestic moment rendered on a modestly sized panel. Executed in the refined manner of the Leiden fijnschilders, the work captures a quiet interior where a woman attentively tends to a child’s hair, likely addressing a minor ailment.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a woman seated on the floor, her hands working through the boy’s hair as he lies prone on her lap. The careful attention to the act of combing suggests a concern with hygiene, possibly the removal of lice, reflecting everyday concerns of 17th‑century households.
Technique & Style
Dou employs a smooth, highly detailed brushwork characteristic of the fijnschilder tradition, achieving a polished surface that emphasizes texture—from the sheen of the oil paint on the woman’s garments to the subtle play of light on the boy’s hair. The limited palette and controlled chiaroscuro create a subdued atmosphere.
History & Provenance
After remaining in private collections for centuries, the painting entered the holdings of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it is displayed among other works of the Dutch Golden Age. Its attribution to Dou has been consistently affirmed by scholars familiar with his apprenticeship under Rembrandt.
Context
Created during a period when Dutch genre painting focused on domestic virtue and the observation of daily life, the work exemplifies the Leiden school's interest in intimate, narrative scenes. Dou’s meticulous rendering aligns with contemporary tastes for moralizing yet realistic depictions of household tasks.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gerrit Dou (pronounced ; 7 April 1613 – 9 February 1675), also known as Gerard Douw or Dow, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, whose small, highly polished paintings are typical of the Leiden fijnschilders.
