En kvinde, der laver mad 1640 - 1647

Geertruyt Roghman created this etching of "En kvinde, der laver mad" - A woman cooking - sometime in the mid-17th century. Notice how Roghman uses a stark, almost theatrical light to carve out form and space. The composition centers on a woman kneeling before a hearth, her back turned, framed by a series of carefully arranged objects. A hanging chain and a loop create a vertical rhythm, countered by the horizontal lines of shelves and the floor. The textures, rendered through dense cross-hatching, give a tactile quality to the stone and textiles. Roghman has used line and texture to create a detailed environment in the kitchen, but the central figure remains somewhat remote, drawing our attention to the geometry of her pose and the fall of light on her dress. The geometric construction and the contrasting light evoke a sense of contemplative stillness, where the everyday task of cooking becomes a study in form and light. This etching challenges viewers to see the underlying structures in everyday life.