Artwork
An Evening School
An Evening School is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerrit Dou. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work relies heavily on the symbolism of the single candle, which illuminates the figures and their lesson while casting the surrounding room into shadow.
Gerrit Dou's 1655 painting An Evening School depicts a genre scene centered on the transmission of knowledge within an intimate, candlelit interior. The composition features a teacher, identified as a man, instructing a young girl and boy in the act of reading. The work relies heavily on the symbolism of the single candle, which illuminates the figures and their lesson while casting the surrounding room into shadow.
This lighting choice emphasizes the focused nature of the study and the value placed on education during the evening hours. The inclusion of specific figures, a man, a girl, and a boy, highlights the intergenerational and potentially cross-gender aspects of learning portrayed in this domestic setting. The scene serves as a visual representation of scholarly dedication and the quiet discipline required for intellectual pursuit.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1655, An Evening School is an oil painting by Gerrit Dou created on a wood panel support. The work measures 25.4 cm in height and 22.9 cm in width, characterizing it as a small-scale cabinet picture typical of the artist's output. As a genre scene, the composition depicts an interior setting illuminated by a candle, featuring figures including a teacher and students engaged in reading.
The selection of oil on panel allowed for the fine detail and smooth finish often associated with Dou's technique, although specific brushwork characteristics are not detailed in the available records. The painting's small dimensions and subject matter reflect the meticulous handling required for such intimate narrative scenes.
History & Provenance
An Evening School was painted by Gerrit Dou in 1655 as an oil-on-panel work measuring about 25.4 cm high and 22.9 cm wide. It depicts a teacher instructing a boy and a girl by candlelight, exemplifying Dou’s genre scenes. The painting’s provenance traces from collector Charles Yerkes to Emilie Grigsby before entering the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held. No documentary evidence of a specific commission appears in the consulted sources.
An Evening School by Gerrit Dou is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, with accession number 11.197. It entered the museum in 1911 as part of the Rogers Fund acquisition. The painting was previously in the collections of Charles Yerkes and Emilie Grigsby before its acquisition by the museum.
Overview
This oil painting, titled "An Evening School," presents an intimate indoor scene. Within a dimly lit room, two figures are seated at a table, illuminated primarily by a single light source. The composition draws the viewer's eye to the interaction between an older man and a young girl, suggesting a moment of instruction or shared study. The overall atmosphere is one of quiet concentration and focused learning.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Gerrit Dou (pronounced; 7 April 1613 – 9 February 1675), also known as Gerard Douw or Dow, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, whose small, highly polished paintings are typical of the Leiden fijnschilders.
