Central European school of the 19th century. "Women... Lot 24

Central European school of the 19th century. "Women at Home". Oil on canvas. Measurements: 43 x 53 cm. This painting, carried out in the 19th century, is inspired by the Dutch pictorial tradition of the Golden Century, when the genre of genre painting enjoyed a fruitful development, capturing with vigour the daily life of the humble people. In this interior scene, still-life and genre painting are skilfully combined, and the display of kitchen utensils arranged on shelves helps to denote the life that goes on in the home. A woman holds her baby in both arms, while another young woman watches them and a young girl stands slightly apart from the group. A wide hearth glows with a fire that will soon be on its last embers. An axe and logs scattered on the ground wait to feed the embers. The peeling of the walls and the shreds of cloth hanging from the high ceilings underline the precariousness and humility of the interior... The spacious, rustic room does not detract from the figures, who are depicted in detailed costumes, as is usual in the Dutch tradition. Soft chiaroscuros model the flesh tones, tinting the exposed brick walls with golden lights that lend warmth to the scene.