Artwork
Broken Dishes
Broken Dishes is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Pehr Hilleström. It dates from 1791 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Pehr Hilleström's 'Broken Dishes' (1791) is an oil painting that captures a domestic scene of childhood mischief within a Swedish interior.
Pehr Hilleström's 'Broken Dishes' (1791) is an oil painting that captures a domestic scene of childhood mischief within a Swedish interior. The composition centers on a young boy kneeling on the floor, clutching a shattered plate, dressed in a brown jacket and green trousers with his curly hair tied back. Standing behind him, a girl in a blue dress and white apron holds a cloth, suggesting an attempt to manage the aftermath of the accident.
The setting is a dimly lit room featuring a fireplace and various household objects, rendered with the artist's characteristic attention to material texture and atmospheric light. Executed in the late 18th century, the work reflects Hilleström's significant contribution to Swedish genre painting, moving away from idealized historical narratives to depict everyday life with psychological nuance and observational precision. The painting exemplifies the artist's mature style, where the interplay of light and shadow enhances the narrative tension of the moment, securing its place as a notable example of Swedish genre art from the Gustavian era.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Pehr Hilleström was a Swedish artist. He served as a professor and director at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts.
