The Painter
c. 1647
Medium
Etching in black on buff laid paper
Dimensions
Image: 21 × 16.8 cm (8 5/16 × 6 5/8 in.); Plate: 23.5 × 17.3 cm (9 5/16 × 6 13/16 in.); Sheet: 24.6 × 18.6 cm (9 11/16 × 7 3/8 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
109049
Art Historical Context
Adriaen van Ostade *The Painter* (c. 1647) is a captivating etching that offers a glimpse into the everyday world of 17th-century Dutch life. Van Ostade, a master of the Dutch Golden Age was renowned for his lively genre scenes depicting peasants, villagers, and humble interiors with a touch of humor and humanity. This small-scale print (image 21 × 16.8 cm) shows a focused artist at work in a modest studio, surrounded by the tools of his trade—brushes, palettes, and canvases—capturing the intimacy of creative labor during a time when the Netherlands flourished as a hub of artistic innovation. ...
About the Artist
Adriaen van Ostade · 1610–1685
Adriaen Jansz. van Ostade (1610-1685) was a Dutch Baroque painter and printmaker who specialized in genre scenes of peasant life. Born and raised in Haarlem, he became one of the most prolific and celebrated artists of the Dutch Golden Age, producing over 800 paintings, 50 etchings, and numerous drawings. Van Ostade's significance in art history lies in his masterful depiction of peasant life, a ...