Lot 1035 Dα

The old woman at the spinning wheel was a popular subject of Dutch genre paintings in the 16th and 17th centuries and was painted, among others, by Gerard Dou, Nicolaes Maes, Gerard Terborch and Quirijn van Brekenkam.
The woman working at the spinning wheel represented a contrast to the immoral, lazy, and careless figures that populated Dutch genre paintings - she was hardworking and diligent and embodied female virtues that were interpreted according to Christian moral. Johan de Brune for example shows in his emblem book a spinning woman who is praised for her work that is aimed towards heavenly peace and fulfillment and not towards earthly gains. The Christian moral interpretation of spinning derives from the Bible where it is written: "She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff" (Solomon 31,19).
This painting was acknowledged as an original work by David Teniers the Younger by Margret Klinge.