Artwork
The Sick Woman
The Sick Woman is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Steen. It dates from 1664 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
The Sick Woman is an oil painting by Jan Steen, created in 1664. It is a genre scene held at the Rijksmuseum.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a worried woman in a yellow dress and white headscarf sitting on a bed, with a man in black leaning over her. His hand on her shoulder suggests he is checking her pulse or offering comfort, capturing a quiet, intimate moment.
Technique & Style
The scene is characterized by a strong contrast between light and shadow, with a sliver of light entering through a half-open curtain. A round object hangs on the wall, and a red cushion and small wooden box add to the domestic setting, illustrating Steen's use of chiaroscuro to create a sense of depth.
Own this work as a print
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
