Mother Holding Her Child in a Doorway 1667

Adriaen van Ostade painted "Mother Holding Her Child in a Doorway" sometime in the 17th century, using oil on panel. The rough texture of the brick and weathered wood of the doorway are rendered with a gritty realism, almost as though Van Ostade wanted us to feel the weight and texture of these humble materials. Even the mother's clothing, painted with muted tones, conveys a sense of everyday wear. Van Ostade doesn't shy away from depicting the realities of working-class life. The way the artist captured the scene, with its emphasis on material and the conditions of everyday life, is what makes this piece so interesting. The artist has imbued the artwork with social significance. This was very much a product of its time, where there was a growing interest in capturing the lives of everyday people. By focusing on the material conditions of his subjects, Van Ostade elevated the everyday, and created a compelling image of 17th-century Dutch life.