Artwork
Nursing Mother, and Child with Serving Maid
Nursing Mother, and Child with Serving Maid is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter de Hooch. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1660, this oil on canvas by Dutch painter Pieter de Hooch captures a quiet domestic moment. The work is part of the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s focus on everyday interior life during the Dutch Golden Age.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a mother nursing her infant while seated in a chair. She is dressed in a yellow gown and white headscarf, with a basket at her side. A serving maid stands nearby, holding a large metal pitcher, suggesting the routine care surrounding the mother and child.
Technique & Style
De Hooch employs a warm palette and careful modeling of light and shadow to give depth to the tiled floor, the glowing fireplace, and the red drapery over an adjacent chair. The subtle illumination draws attention to the figures and creates a sense of intimacy within the interior.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced in Delft, where de Hooch worked alongside contemporaries such as Jan Vermeer. After changing hands over the centuries, it entered the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s holdings, where it remains on display.
Context
Domestic genre scenes were a popular subject in mid‑17th‑century Dutch art, reflecting middle‑class values and the importance of household life. De Hooch’s works often feature open doorways and carefully arranged interiors, inviting viewers into a private, orderly world.
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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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