A Man holding a Carnation to a Woman's Nose. An Allegory of the Sense of Smell 1660

Nicolaes Maes's 1660 painting, "A Man holding a Carnation to a Woman's Nose. An Allegory of the Sense of Smell," is a depiction of a man presenting a carnation to a woman. The woman is delicately smelling the flower, with a sweet expression on her face. The painting's allegorical nature is evident in its title, which explicitly states its theme. The work belongs to the genre of allegory and emphasizes the sense of smell, a common theme in Dutch Golden Age art. The painting's realistic detail and elegant composition contribute to the work's enduring popularity.