Kitchen Scene

Kitchen Scene, a painting by Diego Velázquez, created between 1610 and 1625. The painting, housed in the Rijksmuseum, measures 1.22 meters in width and 1.0 meter in height. 



The artwork depicts a dark, richly detailed kitchen scene. A man with a mustache, wearing a dark brown tunic and a white collar, is centrally positioned, holding a bowl of dark liquid. Surrounding him is an abundance of food items arranged on a dark table: two whole fish (one hanging), a pigeon, a duck, various cuts of meat (including a large hanging piece), a loaf of bread, mushrooms in a bowl, lemons, a sausage-like item, and smoked fish. Several earthenware jugs and a drinking vessel are also present. Coins and playing cards are scattered on the table near the duck. The overall tone is dark and somewhat somber, with the light focusing primarily on the man and the food.