A Woman and a Fish Pedlar in a Kitchen

Artist: Willem Van Mieris (Dutch, 1662 - 1747)

Original Dimensions: 19 1/2" x 16 1/8"

Location: National Gallery of Art, London

About Artwork: (1713) "Willem van Mieris belonged to a group of Dutch artists based in Leiden who are known as the Fijnschilders (‘fine painters’) because of their attention to accurate, realistic detail and their smooth technique. They aimed to show each object, each texture so authentically that they would seem tangible. A kitchen setting provided van Mieris with the opportunity to show off his skills in representing many different textures in one picture: wicker and earthenware, fur and feathers, lace and leather, cabbage leaves and fish scales. Van Mieris made a successful career from pictures of interiors. He painted kitchens or shops, but always elevated their status by using the arched window with a classical frieze below and by including a profusion of objects. He took this idea from his father and teacher, Frans van Mieris, who had himself followed the example of Gerrit Dou." - (National Gallery of Art, London)