Artwork
Market Woman with a Boy and Herring in a Window
Market Woman with a Boy and Herring in a Window is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerrit Dou. It dates from 1665 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Market Woman with a Boy and Herring in a Window is a 1665 oil painting by Gerrit Dou, a Dutch Golden Age artist. It is a genre scene, characterized by its detailed and realistic depiction of everyday life.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows a woman and a boy in a window, with the woman holding a herring. The scene is set in a domestic context, with a basket and onions on the windowsill, suggesting a market or household scene.
Technique & Style
The work is notable for its precise technique and attention to texture, achieved through the use of oil paint. Chiaroscuro, a strong contrast between light and dark, creates a sense of depth and volume, emphasizing the central figures.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the collection at Château de Malmaison. Dou, a student of Rembrandt, was associated with the Leiden fijnschilders, a group known for their refined, small-scale works.
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.
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