A Woman with a Cittern and a Singing Couple at a Table

Pieter de Hooch's "A Woman with a Cittern and a Singing Couple at a Table," painted in 1667, invites us into a cozy Dutch interior. This charming scene, housed right here in the Taft Museum of Art, measures 0.58 meters high by 0.7 meters wide. Notice how de Hooch uses light and shadow to draw our attention. The light spills in from the left, illuminating the woman in red as she delicately plays her cittern. To her left, a couple enjoys a song together, their shared music book a symbol of connection. The warmth of the colors, the textures of the fabrics and rug, even the little dog resting peacefully, all work together to create a sense of intimate domesticity.