Artwork
Apfelschälende Frau
Apfelschälende Frau is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gillis van Tilborgh. It dates from 1651 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Gillis van Tilborgh, a Flemish artist active in the mid‑17th century, completed the work titled *Apfelschälende Frau* in 1651. Executed during the Dutch Golden Age, the painting is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. It presents a quiet domestic interior in which a woman is engaged in the simple act of peeling an apple.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a modestly dressed woman seated on the floor, absorbed in the task of removing the apple’s skin. A bowl lies nearby, suggesting a modest kitchen setting. A second figure, a man in a hat and long coat, reclines by a fireplace, his relaxed posture contrasting with the woman’s concentration, hinting at themes of daily labor and domestic tranquility.
Technique & Style
Van Tilborgh employs chiaroscuro to model the figures, allowing light to fall on the woman's hands and the apple while the surrounding space recedes into shadow. This handling of light creates a palpable sense of volume and depth, emphasizing the tactile quality of the fruit and the textures of the fabrics.
History & Provenance
After its creation, the painting entered the holdings of the Habsburg Netherlands, where van Tilborgh served as keeper of the governor’s picture collection. It later passed through private hands before being acquired by the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s representation of Dutch Golden Age genre painting.
Context
The work reflects the 17th‑century Northern European interest in genre scenes that depict ordinary life with moral undertones. Van Tilborgh, known for portraits and depictions of art collections, applied his skill in rendering textures and light to a modest domestic subject, aligning the piece with contemporary trends that valued realism and the moralizing potential of everyday chores.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gillis van Tilborgh or Gillis van Tilborch (c. 1625 – c. 1678) was a Flemish painter who worked in various genres including portraits, 'low-life' and elegant genre paintings and paintings of picture galleries. He became…
Interior of a Peasant's Cottage with an Old Woman Peeling Apples
Die Raucherin
Køkkenstykke
Køkkenstykke
Interior of a Peasant's Cottage with an Old Woman Peeling Apples
Bauernschenke (Kopie nach)
Old Woman eating Porridge by a Spinning Wheel
Magd am Brunnen (Art des)
En bondestue
Dutch Farm Cottage
Interior of a Kitchen