Dark Academia
The Listening Housewife
Nicolaes Maes
A masterwork of Dutch Golden Age genre painting, capturing a secretive moment of domestic life with dramatic lighting.
The Idle Servant
Nicolaes Maes
1655 · Oil Paint, Panel
A humorous and masterfully lit Dutch Golden Age genre scene capturing a playful moment of domestic life.
$169
For the selected configuration
From $129
1 frame size
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Made to order in ~2 business days · Free U.S. standard shipping (typically 5–8 business days after dispatch)
Where it works
A substantial, grounding work in a warmer tonal register — gives the room a clear visual center.
- Often works in
- Living Room · Dining Room · Office
- Placement
- Strongest where a vertical wall can take more presence
- Walls
- Benefits from light or mid-tone surroundings
- Color notes
- Charcoal black, Rich brown
About the piece
Painted in 1655 by Nicolaes Maes, this work is a quintessential example of Dutch genre painting. The mistress of the house shares a smile with the viewer, inviting us to witness her servant's dereliction of duty. Surrounded by scattered pots and pans, the sleeping girl is unaware that a cat is taking advantage of the quiet moment to steal a meal behind her.
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