Artwork
A woman writing a letter
A woman writing a letter is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerard ter Borch. It is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
This genre scene includes specific interior elements such as a table carpet and a bed visible in the background, situating the figure within a domestic setting.
The work depicts a solitary woman seated at a table, engaged in the act of writing a letter. This genre scene includes specific interior elements such as a table carpet and a bed visible in the background, situating the figure within a domestic setting. The subject matter focuses on the quiet, private moment of correspondence, a common motif in 17th-century Dutch genre painting.
The composition emphasizes the woman's concentration and the intimacy of the activity without additional narrative figures or overt symbolic clutter.
Technique & Style
This 1677 work is executed in oil paint on an oak panel support. Measuring 44 by 34 centimeters, the painting depicts a genre scene featuring a woman engaged in writing at a table covered with a carpet, with a bed visible in the background. The composition focuses on the domestic interior and the figure's activity, adhering to the stylistic conventions of Dutch genre art from the period.
History & Provenance
The painting A woman writing a letter was created by Gerard ter Borch in 1677 as an oil work on oak panel. It entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, where it remains on display. The work is recorded as a genre scene depicting a woman writing at a table, with dimensions of 44 by 34 centimeters. Its creation is documented in museum records as part of the institution’s holdings.
The work is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Its inventory number is not specified in the provided sources. The painting was exhibited in an unspecified exhibition at the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
The work is an oil-on-oak-panel painting created in 1677. It measures 44 cm in height and 34 cm in width. It is classified as a genre scene depicting a woman writing a letter at a table with a table carpet and a bed.
Overview
Created in 1689 by Dutch painter Gerard ter Borch, this oil on canvas presents an intimate interior scene. A woman sits at a modest table, absorbed in the act of composing a letter, while a faint light from the left illuminates the space. The composition is restrained, emphasizing quiet concentration within a domestic setting.
Context
Ter Borch’s focus on everyday domestic scenes aligns with a broader 17th‑century Dutch interest in portraying middle‑class life. His nuanced treatment of interior spaces and the psychological depth of his figures influenced contemporaries and later artists, notably Johannes Vermeer, who explored similar quiet moments of private activity.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gerard ter Borch (Dutch:; December 1617 – 8 December 1681), also known as Gerard Terburg (Dutch: ), was a Dutch Golden Age painter mainly of genre subjects.
