Kitchen Interior

This is one of few domestic scenes by De Witte, who is known primarily for his paintings of church interiors. The well-equipped kitchen-with its cauldron, roasting oven, mortar and pestle, reed chair, and cheeses on shelves-features a recessed sink with two pumps for water from the well and the cistern. The human element is typically rather insignificant in De Witte's work; here, a maidservant stands at the far end of the room with her back to the viewer, accompanied by only the family dog. A ghostly outline visible through thinning paint reveals that the artist originally placed the maid in front of the fire. The proportions and plan of the carefully articulated space, enlivened by sharp contrasts of light and dark, do not correspond to those of actual seventeenth-century Amsterdam kitchens; an element of fantasy marks De Witte's architectural views as well. The artist's interest in perspective and light reflect his artistic training in Delft.