Artwork
Gartenhof mit Frau und Kind
Gartenhof mit Frau und Kind is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hendrick van der Burgh. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.
About this work
Overview
Hendrick van der Burgh’s oil painting *Gartenhof mit Frau und Kind* (1660) portrays a quiet courtyard setting in which a woman and a child are positioned before a brick façade. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and is part of the Kunsthaus Zürich collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a woman in a red dress and white head covering holding a broom, while a young girl in blue stands beside her, clutching a small object. A modest garden with flowering plants and a white picket fence recedes behind them, suggesting domestic routine and a moment of everyday calm.
Technique & Style
Van der Burgh employs a warm palette and diffused lighting to model the figures, creating a gentle atmosphere. The brushwork is fine and controlled, typical of the Delft School’s attention to interior and domestic detail, and the modest scale reflects the artist’s habit of producing intimate genre scenes.
History & Provenance
Active in the mid‑17th century, van der Burgh was linked to the Delft School and related by marriage to Pieter de Hooch. He signed his works with the monogram “HVB.” The painting entered the Kunsthaus Zürich collection, where it remains on display.
Context
The work exemplifies the Dutch interest in everyday life during the Golden Age, when genre scenes of household activities were popular among middle‑class patrons. Its focus on a courtyard and the quiet interaction between mother and child aligns with contemporary moral and social themes of domestic virtue.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hendrick van der Burgh (also spelled "van der Burch"; baptised 27 June 1627 – after 1665), was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his genre scenes.
