Het gehoor 1651 - 1719

Jacob Toorenvliet’s etching “Het gehoor” (meaning “The Hearing”) from 1651-1719 depicts a woman’s head and shoulders with her face turned towards the viewer. The woman appears to be in mid-action, with a book in her lap and her hand reaching out to the page. The etching’s emphasis on the woman's sense of hearing, combined with her gesture of reading, suggests a connection between hearing and knowledge. The technique and style of the artwork, a close-up, realistic portrait in a dark tone, is typical of the Baroque period.