Artwork
The tenant farmer's rent
The tenant farmer's rent is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Quirijn van Brekelenkam. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
As a piece of genre art, the painting depicts a domestic interior scene characteristic of the artist's focus on everyday life during the Dutch Golden Age.
Created in 1660, The Tenant Farmer's Rent is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel support. The work measures 57 cm in height and 70 cm in width. As a piece of genre art, the painting depicts a domestic interior scene characteristic of the artist's focus on everyday life during the Dutch Golden Age.
The medium and support are typical for panel paintings of this period, allowing for the detailed rendering of textures and figures within the composition.
History & Provenance
The tenant farmer's rent was painted by Quirijn van Brekelenkam in 1660, executed in oil paint on panel. The work entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains held and on display.
No further details concerning commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
The work is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is catalogued as inventory number SK-C-1332.
Its exhibition history includes inclusion in the 2004–2005 exhibition Dutch Masters from the Rijksmuseum at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Overview
The Tenant Farmer’s Rent is a Dutch Golden Age genre painting created by Quirijn van Brekelenkam in 1660, executed in oil paint. It captures a mundane yet significant moment in the life of a peasant household.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a tenant farmer paying rent, highlighting the everyday realities of rural life during the Dutch Baroque period. The scene conveys a sense of solemnity and quiet contemplation, emphasizing the importance of the transaction.
Context
As a genre scene, it aligns with the Dutch Golden Age’s emphasis on depicting ordinary life. The contrast between the farmer’s simple attire and the formal dress of the rent collector subtly underscores social hierarchies of the time.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Quirijn or Quiringh Gerritsz van Brekelenkam (1622/29, Zwammerdam – 1669/79, Leiden) was a Dutch Baroque genre painter.
