1637
oil
panel
From the collection of Mauritshuis
The Five Senses: Touch is a 1637 oil by Jan Miense Molenaer, a Dutch Golden Age work, held at Mauritshuis.
This painting depicts a scene where a woman is brushing a man's hair, while another man looks on. The woman is dressed in a white headscarf and dark clothing, holding a brush in her right hand. The man she is brushing has a yellow jacket and red sleeves, with his head tilted back. The third man is wearing a brown hat and leaning on a table. The scene is set in a dimly lit room with a white wall in the background. The woman's brushstrokes are gentle, and the man's expression is relaxed. The overall atmosphere is one of quiet intimacy. The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and volume in the scene. If you're interested in learning more about this technique, you can explore the works of Rembrandt, a master of 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
