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Jean-Siméon Chardin, 'The Water Cistern ('La Fontaine')', 1733 or later (possibly 1737-9)

About the work

Overview

A maid, her face partially hidden by her white bonnet, draws water from a large copper cistern in a scullery with a cobbled floor. As she bends forward, her straight back leads us to an open doorway on the right through which we can see another servant talking to a young child, who stands before yet another door. The second servant also wears a white bonnet and her pose almost mirrors that of the woman filling the jug.

The device of a view through an open doorway to the side of the picture was often used by Dutch and Flemish artists, but Chardin’s painting is a still life as well as a scene of domestic life. In contrast to the human presence on the right, the left-hand side of the picture is filled with household objects. Full of detailed observation, this is a glimpse of servants’ lives ‘below stairs’, which were very different from those of the wealthy collectors who bought Chardin’s pictures.

Key facts

Details

Full title
The Water Cistern ('La Fontaine')
Artist dates
1699 - 1779
Date made
1733 or later (possibly 1737-9)
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
37.5 × 44.5 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought, 1898
Inventory number
NG1664
Location
Room 35
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
18th-century French Frame

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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