Old Woman Plucking a Cock
1655
oil
panel
From the collection of Mauritshuis
1655
oil
panel
From the collection of Mauritshuis
Old Woman Plucking a Cock is a 1655 oil by Abraham de Pape, a Dutch Golden Age work, held at Mauritshuis.
This painting shows an old woman plucking a cock. She's sitting on a chair, wearing a white cap and a red dress with a black apron. The cock is on her lap, and she's holding it with one hand while plucking its feathers with the other. The room is dimly lit, with only a small window on the left side letting in some light. There's a broom leaning against the wall, and a barrel on the floor. The old woman looks focused on her task, with a serious expression on her face. If you're interested in learning more about the artist's use of light and shadow, you might want to look into the technique of chiaroscuro.
Abraham de Pape (1620–1666) was an artist, born in Leiden.
See the richer artist page
