Artwork
Woman spinning
Woman spinning is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Nicolaes Maes. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The iconography is rooted in the realistic portrayal of 17th-century household life, emphasizing the diligence and routine of female work within the home.
Nicolaes Maes's 1655 oil painting depicts a solitary woman engaged in the domestic labor of spinning at a wheel. Classified as a genre scene, the work focuses entirely on this everyday activity, presenting the figure and her tool as the sole subjects without additional narrative elements or complex allegorical figures. The iconography is rooted in the realistic portrayal of 17th-century household life, emphasizing the diligence and routine of female work within the home.
By isolating this specific task, the painting elevates a common chore into a subject worthy of artistic attention, representing the virtue of industry and the quiet dignity of domestic service.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1655, this genre scene by Nicolaes Maes is rendered in oil paint on a wooden panel. The work measures 41.5 cm in height and 33.5 cm in width. Visually, the composition focuses on a solitary female figure engaged in the act of spinning, utilizing a wheel as her primary tool.
The painting's subject matter and material execution align with the Dutch Golden Age tradition of depicting domestic interiors and everyday labor.
History & Provenance
Nicolaes Maes executed the oil painting Woman spinning in 1655. The work was created on a wooden panel and depicts a figure engaged in domestic labor at a spinning wheel. Historical records indicate that the painting entered the collection of Adriaan van der Hoop, who served as a significant owner of the piece.
Following Van der Hoop's possession, the artwork became part of the holdings associated with the Amsterdam Museum and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains preserved as an example of Dutch genre art.
Overview
Nicolaes Maes painted Woman Spinning in 1655, exemplifying the Dutch Golden Age’s interest in genre scenes that capture ordinary domestic moments. The canvas, now part of the Rijksmuseum’s holdings, portrays a solitary figure engaged in the quiet task of turning thread on a wooden wheel, illuminated by daylight that filters through a nearby window.
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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.
