Artwork
A Mayor of Delft and his Daughter
A Mayor of Delft and his Daughter is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Steen. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Jan Steen's 1655 oil painting, commonly known as 'A Mayor of Delft and his Daughter', is a Dutch Golden Age work now correctly titled 'Double portrait of Adolf Croeser and his daughter Catharina Croeser'. It depicts a domestic scene with the mayor, his daughter, and two other figures outside their residence in Delft, featuring characteristic Dutch architectural elements.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays Adolf Croeser, a mayor of Delft, seated on steps outside his home, accompanied by his daughter Catharina descending towards the viewer.
The painting portrays Adolf Croeser, a mayor of Delft, seated on steps outside his home, accompanied by his daughter Catharina descending towards the viewer. A beggar woman with a child approaches him from the right, while a woman in a gold dress stands beside the mayor. The scene may illustrate the mayor's public interaction with the poor, contrasting with the domestic, private world symbolized by the house and the bouquet of flowers in the window.
Technique & Style
Steen employs chiaroscuro to dramatic effect, particularly in the metallic sheen of the woman's gold dress, achieved through strategic lighting. The composition balances interior and exterior spaces, with the subjects set against recognizable Delft landmarks like the Oude Kerk tower. However, the painting has been noted for its less refined aspects, such as the disproportion in the size of the mayor's head relative to his daughter.
History & Provenance
Documented by Hofstede de Groot in 1910, the painting has been part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. It was known by its common name since its sale in 1808, until the correct identification of the sitters as the Croeser family was confirmed in 2006.
Context
Created during the Dutch Golden Age, the painting reflects the era's emphasis on everyday life and the portrayal of social hierarchy. The inclusion of a beggar highlights the economic realities of the time, while the depiction of the mayor and his daughter showcases the domestic life of the bourgeoisie.
Legacy
While not considered a 'masterpiece' due to certain compositional flaws, the painting remains a significant example of Jan Steen's work and Dutch Golden Age painting, offering insights into 17th-century Dutch society and architectural landscape.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Havickszoon Steen was a Dutch Golden Age painter, one of the leading genre painters of the 17th century.
Paintings of physicians by Jan Steen
The Dissolute Household
Merry Company on a Terrace
Esther, Ahasuerus, and Haman
Interior of an inn with an old man amusing himself with the landlady and two men playing backgammon, known as 'Two kinds of games'
The Drunken Couple
The Happy Family
Bathsheba after the Bath
