1637
oil
panel
From the collection of Mauritshuis
Hearing is a 1637 oil by Jan Miense Molenaer, a Dutch Golden Age work, held at Mauritshuis.
This painting shows three men in a dimly lit room. The man on the left is holding up a large jug, while the man in the middle is leaning forward, as if listening to something. The man on the right is looking at the jug with interest. The men are all wearing hats and loose-fitting clothing, and the room is sparse, with no visible furniture or decorations. The overall mood of the painting is one of quiet contemplation, with the men focused on the jug and whatever it might contain. The use of chiaroscuro in this painting creates a sense of depth and drama, drawing the viewer's eye to the jug and the men's faces. To learn more about this technique, look up chiaroscuro.
Jan Miense Molenaer (1610 – buried 19 September 1668) was a Dutch Golden Age genre painter whose style was a precursor to Jan Steen's work during Dutch Golden Age painting.
See the richer artist page
