Artwork
Kitchen Maid, Butcher and Boy around a Table

Kitchen Maid, Butcher and Boy around a Table is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Peter Paul Rubens. It dates from 1618 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
About this work
Overview
Painted circa 1618, Kitchen Maid, Butcher and Boy around a Table is a genre scene by Peter Paul Rubens, blending realism with the expressive movement and sensuality characteristic of the Baroque style.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a domestic scene with three everyday figures: a kitchen maid, a butcher, and a boy, engaged in an animated interaction around a table, capturing a moment of everyday life with implied narrative.
Technique & Style
Rubens employs chiaroscuro to create depth and volume, with pronounced contrasts between light and dark. The composition conveys a sense of energy and movement, typical of Rubens' dynamic Baroque approach.
History & Provenance
The work is part of the collection at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, though specific details of its commission or early ownership are not provided in the available information.
Context
While Rubens often explored classical and Christian themes, this work reflects his capacity to infuse mundane subjects with the dramatic and sensual qualities of the Counter-Reformation Baroque.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ROO-bənz; Dutch:; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat.


















