Artwork
Kitchen Scene
Kitchen Scene is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Willem Joseph Laquy. It dates from 1765 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Willem Joseph Laquy’s oil painting Kitchen Scene, executed in 1765, depicts an intimate domestic interior typical of Dutch genre works. The composition is set in a modest kitchen where three women and a young girl are engaged in everyday tasks, surrounded by household objects that convey a lived-in atmosphere. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, seated at a table, is shown peeling a fish, while a second woman holds a tray of fish and a third watches the activity.
The central figure, seated at a table, is shown peeling a fish, while a second woman holds a tray of fish and a third watches the activity. A young girl crouches on the floor, playing with a dog, suggesting a moment of familial routine. The inclusion of commonplace items such as baskets, a jug, and a broom underscores the painting’s focus on ordinary domestic labor and the quiet rhythms of 18th‑century Dutch life.
Technique & Style
Laquy employs a warm palette of ochres and muted reds, softened by natural daylight entering through a left‑hand window. Careful modelling of forms through chiaroscuro creates a subtle three‑dimensionality, especially in the metal pots and copper pans that line the walls. The brushwork is fine and precise, rendering textures of fabric, wood, and fur with notable attention to detail.
History & Provenance
Created in 1765, Kitchen Scene entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings as part of its broader acquisition of Dutch genre paintings. The museum’s records indicate the work has remained in the Netherlands since its creation, reflecting the continued appreciation of Laquy’s depiction of everyday life within the Dutch artistic tradition.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
