Woman with a Child and a Maid in an Interior 

Pieter de Hooch created this oil painting, *Woman with a Child and a Maid in an Interior,* sometime in the mid-17th century. It offers a glimpse into the domestic life of a Dutch household, but what exactly is it telling us? The painting establishes meaning through visual codes of class and domesticity. The black and white tiled floor, the presence of a maidservant, and the well-dressed figures point to a household of some means. De Hooch was working during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of economic prosperity and burgeoning trade. It was also a time when new ideas about the family and the home were evolving. While the scene appears tranquil, the image may have been designed to convey very specific ideals about women’s roles and the importance of family. Art historians consult conduct books and household inventories from the period to deepen our understanding of the social norms of the time. These sources help us to see the painting not just as a slice of life, but as a constructed image, reflecting and shaping the values of its time.