A Woman in a Red Jacket feeding a Parrot

Behind the woman are, barely visible, a bed with curtains on the left, and an open door surrounded by foliage on the right.

Van Mieris learnt his meticulous painting technique from Gerrit Dou, the principal master of a group of Leiden painters known as the 'fijnschilders' (literally, fine painters).

Another autograph version of this composition is dated 1663 (England, private collection); this picture was probably painted shortly after.