Artwork
Young Woman at the Spinning Wheel
Young Woman at the Spinning Wheel is a paint painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Quirijn van Brekelenkam. It dates from 1667 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Young Woman at the Spinning Wheel is a 1667 painting by Quirijn van Brekelenkam, a Dutch Baroque genre painter from Leiden. The work exemplifies the artist's attention to detail in depicting everyday life.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a young woman absorbed in spinning thread, conveying a sense of quiet domesticity and contemplation. Her introspective pose, with eyes cast downward, suggests a moment of introspection amidst a mundane task.
Technique & Style
Van Brekelenkam employed chiaroscuro to create depth, using strong light and dark contrasts. The soft, muted lighting and detailed rendering of objects reflect his training under Gerard Dou and the influence of the Leiden fijnschilders movement.
History & Provenance
Created during the Dutch Golden Age, the painting is characteristic of the era's flourishing artistic production. Van Brekelenkam's work was influenced by his mentor Gerard Dou, a prominent figure in the Leiden fijnschilders.
Context
The Dutch Golden Age (17th century) provided the backdrop for this painting, a time of economic prosperity and cultural flowering in the Netherlands that encouraged the development of detailed, realistic genre scenes.
Legacy
While specific legacy details of *Young Woman at the Spinning Wheel* are not provided, it contributes to the broader appreciation of Dutch Baroque genre painting and the Leiden fijnschilders' emphasis on meticulous detail and domestic themes.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Quirijn or Quiringh Gerritsz van Brekelenkam (1622/29, Zwammerdam – 1669/79, Leiden) was a Dutch Baroque genre painter.
Interior with a man reading and a woman spinning yarn
Interior with a man reading and a woman spinning yarn
Interieur mit drei Frauen und einem Mädchen
A Wool Spinner and His Wife
An Old Woman Bleeding a Young Woman, known as 'The Bloodletting'
The Card Players in an Interior
Et umage par
Et umage par
The Wedding Contract