Artwork
Mother Lacing Her Bodice beside a Cradle
Mother Lacing Her Bodice beside a Cradle is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter de Hooch. It dates from 1661 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1660–1663, this oil painting by Dutch artist Pieter de Hooch depicts an intimate domestic interior. A mother is seated beside a cradle, fastening her bodice while a sleeping infant rests nearby. The composition is rendered with careful attention to light and space, emphasizing a tranquil, everyday moment within a modestly furnished room.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents a quiet, familial scene: a young woman, having just nursed her child, attends to her clothing, her gaze directed toward the unseen infant. The inclusion of domestic objects—a dog, a warming pan, a candle‑stick—underscores the routine of household life, while the gentle interaction conveys affection and the responsibilities of motherhood.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, de Hooch employs his characteristic use of perspective and muted palette to create depth. The tiled floor recedes toward a recessed panel, and the play of daylight from a high window illuminates the interior, highlighting textures such as the striped curtain and the soft folds of the cradle’s bedding.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Berlin State Museums in the late 19th century after passing through several sales, including a Paris auction in 1790 and a later transaction in 1876 that brought it to the Berlin Museum. It was catalogued by Cornelis Hofstede de Groot in 1910 and has remained in the Gemäldegalerie collection since.
Context
De Hooch’s oeuvre frequently explores domestic interiors, reflecting the Dutch Golden Age’s interest in everyday life and middle‑class virtue. This piece exemplifies his mature period, where he refined the balance between interior space and natural light, aligning with contemporary genre painters who celebrated the quiet dignity of household scenes.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Hendricksz. de Hooch (Dutch: ; also spelled Hoogh or Hooghe; bapt. 20 December 1629 – after 1683), was a Dutch Golden Age painter famous for his genre works of quiet domestic scenes with an open doorway. He was a…
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