Who painted A cook and his wife?

A cook and his wife was painted by Unknown in 1770.

Where can I see A cook and his wife?

A cook and his wife is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is A cook and his wife?

A cook and his wife is associated with Rococo painting.

Artwork

A cook and his wife

Unknown , 1770

A cook and his wife is a paint painting by the Rococo painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1770 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This work is one of a series of thirty‑six small paintings that document the various castes and occupations of South India.

About this work

Overview

This work is one of a series of thirty‑six small paintings that document the various castes and occupations of South India. Each image pairs a male figure with his spouse, displaying the tools and attire associated with their profession. The composition is framed by a red border and set against a plain ground, with a stylised cloud motif above the figures.

Subject & Meaning

The picture portrays a cook together with his wife, both dressed in traditional regional clothing. The husband holds a large serving spoon, indicating his role in food preparation, while the wife stands beside him, suggesting the domestic partnership typical of the household trade.

Technique & Style

The artist employs a chiaroscuro effect, using heavy, looped shadows that cling to the figures’ feet to suggest depth. The background is a dark green plane, and the overall palette includes a red border and a tangled cloud strip at the top. Variations in figure rendering across the series hint at the involvement of three different hands, each favoring distinct background hues.

History & Provenance

The painting bears an English inscription along the lower border naming the depicted caste or occupation. It was originally mounted in an album dated 1799, identified by a watermark reading “J. Ruse.” A bookplate on the album carries the name Joseph Whatley and the Latin motto “Pelle Timorem,” meaning “banish fear.”

Context

Created during the late eighteenth century, the series reflects a colonial interest in cataloguing Indian social structures. By presenting everyday workers alongside their spouses, the images offer a visual record of occupational identity within South Indian society at that time.