Man Offering Money to a Young Woman

Judith Leyster (1609–1660), one of the few female artists of the 17th century, painted this evocative and intimate scene in 1631. A young woman, seated with her feet on a foot-stove, bends over her sewing by the light of an oil lamp. The man behind her leans forward to offer her money, but she takes no notice of him. The meaning of this picture would have been clear to 17th-century viewers. The man tries to attract her attention by offering her a handful of coins; whether his intentions are honourable is neither here nor there. The woman is a paragon of virtue—needlework was considered one of the most important domestic skills—and so she will not respond to the man’s advances. The foot-stove was praised in emblem books for making a woman’s life easier on cold days. Her suitor should follow this example: he, too, would do well to behave in a helpful and friendly way, rather than displaying the bad manners seen here.

We present today's masterpiece thanks to the Mauritshuis in the Hague. <3

And if you're looking for calendars for the new year, we offer DailyArt 2020 wall and desk calendars that you can check out in our online shop.  : ) We have also a calendar with only Women Artists (including Judith Leyster)!  : )

P.S. Check the "social media" of the Dutch Golden Age here.  :D