Artwork
The Kitchenmaid
The Kitchenmaid is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gabriel Metsu. It dates from 1656 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Gabriel Metsu's 1656 oil painting The Kitchenmaid is a genre scene depicting a woman, identified as a cook, preparing food.
Gabriel Metsu's 1656 oil painting The Kitchenmaid is a genre scene depicting a woman, identified as a cook, preparing food. The composition centers on the figure handling a skewer laden with game meat and chicken. As a genre work, the piece focuses on the everyday details of domestic labor and culinary preparation rather than a mythological or historical narrative, presenting a realistic view of seventeenth-century household activity.
Technique & Style
The Kitchenmaid is an oil painting on a wooden panel, measuring 28.7 cm by 23.9 cm and dated to 1656. The work belongs to the everyday-scene genre and depicts a kitchenmaid surrounded by cooking implements, a skewer, and poultry, reflecting contemporary Dutch genre subjects. The painting's condition is not detailed in the available records. It is held in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
History & Provenance
Gabriel Metsu created the oil-on-panel painting The Kitchenmaid in 1656, measuring 28.7 cm in height by 23.9 cm in width. It depicts a domestic scene of a woman preparing game meat and chicken. The work is held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
The available sources do not specify an inventory or accession number, nor do they document an exhibition history.
Overview
Gabriel Metsu's The Kitchenmaid, painted in 1656, exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age's focus on domestic life. This oil painting portrays a young servant engaged in daily kitchen tasks, surrounded by various food items and implements. It offers a glimpse into the everyday realities of 17th-century Dutch households, a common theme for the artist. The work is part of the Alte Pinakothek collection.
Context
Created during the Dutch Golden Age, The Kitchenmaid belongs to the popular tradition of genre painting, which celebrated scenes of everyday life. Gabriel Metsu was a versatile artist, known for his ability to work across various subjects including history painting, still life, and portraiture. His domestic scenes, like this one, often captured the nuances of daily existence, reflecting the varied stylistic approaches prevalent in 17th-century Dutch art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Gabriël Metsu (1629–1667) was a Dutch painter of history paintings, still lifes, portraits, and genre works.
