Woman sealing a letter
| Woman sealing a letter | |
|---|---|
| Artist | Gerard ter Borch |
| Year | 1659 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 56.5 cm × 48.3 cm (22.2 in × 19.0 in) |
Woman sealing a letter is an oil on canvas painting by the Dutch artist Gerard ter Borch, created in 1659.
Description
The painting depicts a Dutch interior scene. A woman sits at a table covered with a blue tablecloth with embroidered edges. She is melting wax with a candle to seal a letter. Writing utensils are visible on the table. Her clothing is that of a well-to-do woman; she wears a dark purple coat trimmed with white fur. A young maid stands nearby, holding a bucket. A spaniel lies on the floor near the table. The background shows a fireplace and a dark wall. The overall mood is calm and intimate.
This painting is supposed to be a pair with Officer Writing a Letter, with a Trumpeter and a Dog and gave the idea of a pair to Gabriel Metsu who painted Woman Reading a Letter and Man Writing a Letter.[1][2]
References
- ^ Peter C. Sutton, Lisa Vergara, Ann Jensen Adams, Love Letters: Dutch Genre Paintings in the Age of Vermeer, London: Frances Lincoln Limited, 2003, pp. 58, 96.
- ^ "1.1 Diptyques épistolaires : les précurseurs - - Lettre d'amour aux Pays-Bas Metsu Ter Borch". artifexinopere (in French). Retrieved 2025-10-10.