Where can I see Man playing the cithern and a young woman in an interior?

Man playing the cithern and a young woman in an interior is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Man playing the cithern and a young woman in an interior?

Man playing the cithern and a young woman in an interior is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Man playing the cithern and a young woman in an interior

Man playing the cithern and a young woman in an interior is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jacob Ochtervelt. It dates from 1669 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Jacob Ochterveld’s 1669 oil painting, titled *Man Playing the Cithern and a Young Woman in an Interior*, presents a quiet domestic scene. The work is part of the collection of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg and exemplifies the Dutch genre tradition of the mid‑seventeenth century.

Subject & Meaning

Within a modestly furnished room, a man in brown attire is seated on a chair, gently plucking a stringed instrument that appears to be a cittern. A young woman in a white dress stands behind him, her back turned toward the viewer, suggesting a private, perhaps musical, interaction between the two figures.

Technique & Style

Ochterveld employs a restrained chiaroscuro, allowing the limited light source to illuminate the subjects while the surrounding space recedes into shadow. Warm, muted tones and soft modeling give the figures a palpable presence, and the careful rendering of textures—fabric, wood, and instrument—enhances the scene’s intimate atmosphere.

History & Provenance

The canvas was completed in 1669, during Ochterveld’s mature period in Amsterdam. It entered the State Hermitage Museum’s holdings in the 19th century, where it has remained on display as an example of Dutch genre painting that reflects everyday life rather than grand historical narratives.