The Young Mother 1655 - 1657

Nicolaes Maes created this drawing with pen and brown ink, and brown wash. The quick strokes and tonal washes give a sense of the interior scene, and the labor taking place within it. The young mother is the focal point of the composition, bent over her needlework while keeping a watchful eye on her child sleeping in the cradle. The artist has captured a transient moment, where everyday life and work merge; with the woman finding time to work amidst the demands of motherhood, and the surrounding objects: wooden buckets, bedclothes, and small windows that suggest the material conditions of their existence. This intimate drawing presents a candid view of a young mother's life in 17th-century Holland, emphasizing the value and labor of domestic life. In doing so, Maes elevates the seemingly mundane details of everyday life, infusing the quotidian scene with meaning, and reminding us of the significance of craft and domestic work.