Artwork
Woman spinning
Woman spinning is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Nicolaes Maes. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
By isolating the figure and her tool, the composition emphasizes the routine and quiet diligence associated with household textile production.
Nicolaes Maes's Woman spinning (1650) is a genre painting that depicts a solitary woman operating a spinning wheel. The work focuses on the daily domestic labor of spinning, presenting the subject in a straightforward, realistic manner typical of Dutch genre art from the mid-seventeenth century. By isolating the figure and her tool, the composition emphasizes the routine and quiet diligence associated with household textile production.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, depicting a woman engaged in spinning. The work measures 63 cm in height and 55 cm in width, reflecting the typical scale of genre scenes from the Dutch Golden Age. Maes applies delicate brushwork to render the textures of fabric and the subtle play of light on the figure, emphasizing a realistic yet intimate domestic moment.
History & Provenance
Nicolaes Maes created Woman Spinning in 1650 as an oil on canvas depicting a woman at a spinning wheel. The painting, measuring 63 by 55 cm, was formerly owned by Leendert Dupper before entering the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains. No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Around 1650, Dutch artist Nicolaes Maes painted Woman Spinning, an oil work that exemplifies the everyday genre scenes popular during the Dutch Golden Age. The canvas captures a solitary figure engaged in textile work, rendered with a subdued palette and careful attention to light. The painting is part of the Rijksmuseum’s permanent collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolaes Maes (January 1634 – December 1693; buried 24 December 1693) was a Dutch painter known for his genre scenes, portraits, religious compositions and the occasional still life.
