Who painted Woman Playing the Sistrum?

Woman Playing the Sistrum was painted by Jan Steen in 1662.

Where can I see Woman Playing the Sistrum?

Woman Playing the Sistrum is held by Mauritshuis.

What movement is Woman Playing the Sistrum?

Woman Playing the Sistrum is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Woman Playing the Sistrum?

Museum-quality prints of Woman Playing the Sistrum are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Woman Playing the Sistrum

Jan Steen , 1662

Woman Playing the Sistrum is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Steen. It dates from 1662 and is held in the collection of the Mauritshuis.

About this work

Overview

Jan Steen’s 1662 oil painting, titled Woman Playing the Sistrum, presents a single figure in a modest interior. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age’s genre tradition, focusing on everyday moments rather than grand historical narratives. It is part of the collection at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, where it is displayed among other 17th‑century Dutch works.

Subject & Meaning

The composition features a young woman seated before a dark backdrop, holding a small wooden sistrum—a ritual percussion instrument. She wears a dark cap, a brown dress, and a white veil draped over her shoulder, her blond hair partially visible. Her relaxed smile and direct gaze invite the viewer into a moment of private music-making, suggesting a gentle, domestic intimacy.

Technique & Style

Steen employs a restrained palette and careful modeling of light to emphasize the figure’s face and hands. Subtle chiaroscuro creates a contrast between the illuminated skin tones and the surrounding gloom, highlighting the texture of the fabric and the delicate details of the instrument. The brushwork remains smooth, typical of genre paintings that aim for realism without overt dramatization.

History & Provenance

Created in 1662, the painting entered the Mauritshuis collection in the 19th century, though earlier ownership records are sparse. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s focus on Dutch Golden Age art, and the work has been catalogued in several scholarly inventories of Steen’s oeuvre, confirming its attribution to the artist.

Context

During the mid‑17th century, Dutch artists often depicted scenes of music and leisure to illustrate moral or social themes. While the sistrum is an Egyptian ritual object, its inclusion here may signal exotic curiosity or serve as a decorative prop, aligning with contemporary tastes for foreign curiosities within domestic settings.