Artwork
The Five Senses: Smell
The Five Senses: Smell is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Miense Molenaer. It dates from 1637 and is held in the collection of the Mauritshuis.
About this work
Overview
The Five Senses: Smell is a 1637 oil painting by Jan Miense Molenaer, a Dutch Golden Age artist known for his genre scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a woman in a domestic setting, surrounded by objects that evoke the sense of smell. She holds a cloth to her nose, amidst a cluttered table with items like a pipe, bowl, and small box.
Technique & Style
Molenaer's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth, drawing attention to the woman and the objects on the table against a dark background.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the Mauritshuis collection and exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age style, a period during which Molenaer worked alongside his wife, Judith Leyster, also a genre painter.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Miense Molenaer (1610 – buried 19 September 1668) was a Dutch Golden Age genre painter whose style was a precursor to Jan Steen's work during Dutch Golden Age painting.
