Getty Museum
The Doctor's Visit
Creator
Frans van Mieris the ElderDutch Artist · 1635–1681
All works by this person →Frans van Mieris the Elder belonged to an illustrious family of goldsmiths and painters. After an apprenticeship with his cousin, Van Mieris studied painting with Gerrit Dou, the first and most famous member of the *fijnschilders* (fine painters) in his native Leiden. Dou called him the "Prince of my Pupils." In the style of the *fijnschilders--* minutely proportioned subjects with bright colors,
More on Getty ULAN- Date
- 1667
- Medium
- Oil on panel
- Culture
- Dutch
- Department
- Paintings
- Institution
- Getty Museum
In the foreground of this minutely detailed painting, a maid attempts to revive an elegant young woman who has fainted. In the background, a doctor examines a vial of the woman's urine. The dandyish doctor, whose ostentatious clothing suggests that he is a quack, was a stock figure in contemporary theater, and his inclusion here adds a touch of buffoonery. An erotic painting hangs above the fireplace, hinting that the woman suffers from lovesickness. A crying girl seen in the right background holds a burning ribbon, which was understood at the time as a symbol of pregnancy.Frans van Mieris the Elder was well known for his finely painted works and genre pictures like this one. He often presented a theatrical and humorous view of daily life among the prosperous Dutch.
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