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Nicolaes Berchem, 'A Peasant playing a Hurdy-Gurdy to a Woman and Child', 1658

About the work

Overview

Picked out in the glow of a soft evening light, a sleepy toddler lies on his mother’s lap, his eyes half closed, one chubby arm dangling at his side. His mother smiles down at him, the last of the sun catching her wide brow and her white shawl. Beside them a man leans forward with a smile, lulling him to sleep with a tune on his hurdy-gurdy. In his red shirt, big hat and sturdy shoes, the man is likely to be a travelling musician.

Religious images weren't permitted in Dutch Protestant churches, but were appreciated in many families. A painting like this may well have been recognised as alluding to the journey into Egypt made by the holy family – the Virgin Mary, Joseph and Jesus – but it would have been loved for the pastoral serenity of the scene too.

Key facts

Details

Full title
A Peasant playing a Hurdy-Gurdy to a Woman and Child in a Woody Landscape, with Oxen, Sheep and Goats
Artist dates
1620 - 1683
Date made
1658
Medium and support
oil on wood
Dimensions
34.5 × 38.3 cm
Inscription summary
Signed; Dated
Acquisition credit
Wynn Ellis Bequest, 1876
Inventory number
NG1006
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection

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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