Gerrit Dou, The Young Mother, 1658, oil on panel, 28.9” x 21.8”, Mauritshuis, The Hague, Image in the Public Domain via Wikimedia.
During the Dutch Golden Age, artists specialized in different subjects in order to compete in the new art market. Early in the 17th century, artists developed specializations within their specialization to carve out a market niche for themselves. Within the broader category of genre painting, or scenes from everyday life, artists employed a handful of styles and motifs at which they excelled to meet the art market demand. The genre painter Gerrit Dou, a student of Rembrandt, was known for his unique images seen through a window, reverential portraits of old men and women, dramatic scenes illuminated by candlelight, and sweet subjects with a mother and child.
Happy Mother’s Day from The Art Minute.
