Artwork
Merry Company with five figures
Merry Company with five figures is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter de Hooch. It dates from 1675 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Technique & Style
The sources do not specify further technical aspects such as brush handling, surface condition, or preparatory layers.
The painting is rendered in oil paint on a canvas support, with dimensions of 92 cm in height and 105.5 cm in width. It is catalogued as a genre scene, portraying a merry company of five figures accompanied by a bowed string instrument, a musician, a man, a woman, a dog, and a tiled floor. The sources do not specify further technical aspects such as brush handling, surface condition, or preparatory layers.
History & Provenance
Merry Company with Five Figures was painted by Pieter de Hooch in 1675. The oil-on-canvas genre scene is held by the Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery of Denmark), where it is recorded as part of the institution's collection, measuring 92 cm in height by 105.5 cm in width.
The sources provided do not specify a precise inventory or accession number for the work, nor do they document earlier ownership, acquisition history, or any past exhibitions in which the painting has been displayed.
Overview
Pieter de Hooch, a prominent painter of the Dutch Golden Age, completed Merry Company with five figures in 1675 using oil paint. This work exemplifies his characteristic genre scenes, depicting an intimate gathering within a domestic interior. The composition features several individuals engaged in leisure, a common theme for the artist, and is now part of the collection at the Statens Museum for Kunst.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays five individuals gathered in a dimly lit room, suggesting a moment of social interaction and entertainment. Two women in light attire are seated near a table, while another woman plays a violin. A man in elegant clothing holds a bow, seemingly engaged with a music sheet, and another man leans against a wall.
A small dog rests quietly on the floor, contributing to the tranquil, domestic ambiance of this genre scene.
Context
Pieter de Hooch was an active member of the Guild of St. Luke in Delft, a significant artistic hub during the Dutch Golden Age. His presence in this guild placed him among notable contemporaries, including Jan Vermeer. Both artists explored similar thematic territory, focusing on domestic genre scenes, and shared an interest in depicting light and interior spaces, contributing to a distinctive artistic current within Delft at the time.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Hendricksz. de Hooch (Dutch:; also spelled Hoogh or Hooghe; bapt. 20 December 1629 – after 1683), was a Dutch Golden Age painter famous for his genre works of quiet domestic scenes with an open doorway. He was a…
