Artwork
Young Girl Eating Sweets
Young Girl Eating Sweets is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Godfried Schalcken. It dates from 1690 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a work of genre art, the subject matter focuses on an intimate, everyday moment rather than a mythological or historical narrative.
Godfried Schalcken's 1680 painting depicts a woman seated at a table while consuming confectionery. As a work of genre art, the subject matter focuses on an intimate, everyday moment rather than a mythological or historical narrative. The composition centers on the girl and the sweets she is eating, presenting a straightforward scene of domestic life.
The image captures the specific action of eating, highlighting the interaction between the figure and the food items on the table.
Technique & Style
Young Girl Eating Sweets is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, a common support for small-scale Dutch genre works of the period. The painting measures 18.6 cm in height and 15.5 cm in width, emphasizing its intimate format. Schalcken’s handling of the medium is not described in the sources, nor is any condition information recorded.
As a genre scene, the work presents a modest domestic moment, a young girl seated at a table with sweets, rendered with the smooth, blended brushwork typical of oil on panel, though specific stylistic details are not elaborated in the provided references.
History & Provenance
The work titled Young Girl Eating Sweets was created in 1680 by Godfried Schalcken as an oil painting. It entered the collection of the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo family, who later gifted it to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, where it remains on display. The painting has been catalogued in major reference works such as the Museum of Fine Arts Boston documentation and the Prado's online catalogue, confirming its provenance and current ownership.
Its dimensions are recorded as 18.6 cm in height and 15.5 cm in width, consistent with the original panel format.
Overview
Godfried Schalcken, a Dutch painter active in the late 17th century, executed the oil painting Young Girl Eating Sweets in 1690. The work belongs to the genre‑painting tradition and is part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. It presents a domestic interior in which a young woman engages with a small dish of confections, creating a quiet, momentary scene.
Artist & collection
Artist
Godfried Schalcken (8 October 1643 – 16 November 1706) was a Dutch artist who specialized in genre paintings and portraits.
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