Een zuinige huisvader 1657 - 1707

"Een zuinige huisvader" (A Thrifty Householder) is a 17th-century etching by Hendrik Bary, depicting a man meticulously cleaning fish in his kitchen while his wife washes dishes in the background. The work, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age genre of "genrestuk" (genre painting) which focused on everyday life and domestic scenes. The inscription in Dutch on the wall, "Sad ook de huis raat te recht bystellen...," suggests the man's attention to detail and meticulous nature, highlighting the virtue of thrift in Dutch society of the period. Bary's use of chiaroscuro and intricate detail brings the scene to life, showcasing the domestic world of a thrifty household.