Artwork
The marriage trap: an allegory of marriage
The marriage trap: an allegory of marriage is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hendrik Noorderwiel. It dates from 1647 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
The formal composition utilizes oil medium to achieve layered textures and nuanced tonal transitions, characteristic of Dutch Golden Age techniques.
The painting is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, measuring 117.5 cm in height and 175 cm in width. It depicts a symbolic allegory of marriage, featuring a prominent tree as a central visual element. The work belongs to the genre of allegorical painting and was created in 1647.
The formal composition utilizes oil medium to achieve layered textures and nuanced tonal transitions, characteristic of Dutch Golden Age techniques. The panel support provides a smooth, durable surface that influences the handling and application of paint, contributing to the work's enduring condition within the Rijksmuseum's collection.
History & Provenance
The marriage trap: an allegory of marriage was created by Hendrik Noorderwiel in 1647, executed in oil paint on panel. No information is available regarding a commissioning patron or the circumstances of its creation.
The work is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, which also houses the holdings of the Royal Dutch Antiquarian Society (Koninklijke Nederlandse Oudheidkundig Genootschap). No further details of its ownership chain, earlier provenance, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
Context
Hendrik Noorderwiel's 1647 allegorical painting The marriage trap explores marital symbolism through a tree motif, reflecting 17th-century moral discourse. The work resides in the Rijksmuseum collection of the Royal Dutch Antiquarian Society, anchoring its scholarly discussion within Dutch Golden Age artistic practices and contemporary interpretations of allegory.
Overview
The Marriage Trap: an Allegory of Marriage is a 1647 oil painting by Hendrik Noorderwiel, held at the Rijksmuseum.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a lively scene with numerous figures engaged in various activities around a central tree, suggesting an allegorical narrative related to marriage.
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Artist & collection
