Object: Interior with a Family and Two Nurses before a Fire

Artist: Cornelis de Man, Dutch

This intimate newborn-scene – a popular genre in 17th-century Holland – provides a glimpse of a comfortable, middle-class household.  The family, two snugly swaddled new-born babies and their two nurses (both wearing similar red jackets and an apron) gather near the fireplace and, as if suddenly interrupted in their dedicated task, look up at the viewer. One of the nurses is seated in a low wicker chair, specially designed to lean back and feed the child while staying warm near the fireplace; behind her stands a wicker cradle. Lightweight and breathable, such functional children’s wicker furniture also would have been used in New Netherland households.

Reference:

Medium: Oil on panel

Dimensions: 52 x 45 cm.
Location: Private collection