17th-century Flemish - Hendrick Martensz Sorgh (1611–1670) Kitchen Scene - 100 × 81 Cm

Elderly Woman in a Kitchen with a Drinker and a Smoker 

Large oil on canvas 60.5 × 82.5 cm unframed
Some earlier restorations

A very beautiful 17th-century Dutch interior scene attributed to Hendrick Martensz Sorgh, depicting an elderly woman seated in a spacious kitchen, while in the background two men—one drinking and the other smoking—are gathered near the hearth.

The composition is particularly rich. The figure of the old woman, dressed in a red bodice and a loose-fitting dark blue skirt, occupies the right-hand side, accompanied by a small dog. To the left is a remarkable array of household objects: copper cauldrons and basins, a jug, a small barrel, baskets, vegetables, fabrics, and tableware.

The painter skillfully plays on the contrasts between the deep shadows of the interior and the flashes of light that catch on the copper, pewter, white fabric, and the red of the clothing. The foreground almost constitutes a standalone still life, particularly captivating due to the variety of materials and reflections.

This combination of a genre scene with a highly detailed depiction of household objects is characteristic of the kitchen interiors painted by Hendrick Martensz Sorgh, one of the leading figures of Dutch genre painting during the Golden Age.

Hendrick Martensz Sorgh

Born in Rotterdam around 1609–1611 and died in the same city in 1670, Hendrick Martensz Sorgh is considered one of the leading genre painters of the Dutch Golden Age. According to tradition, he was a student of Willem Buytewech and David Teniers the Younger. He specialized in particular in peasant interiors, kitchens, taverns, and market scenes, in which he placed remarkable emphasis on the depiction of objects, utensils, and lighting effects. He became master of the Guild of Saint Luke in Rotterdam around 1636–1637 and took over its leadership toward the end of his life.

Sorgh’s works are now held in major European public collections. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam possesses a particularly representative collection of his work, including The Lute Player (1661), The Vegetable Market (1664), The Fish Market, and Storm on the Meuse (1668).

In Rotterdam, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen holds several of his works, including an Interior of a Farmhouse, a View of the Merwede, a View of the Grand Market in Rotterdam, and a Young Girl at the Window. The Kunstmuseum in Basel also holds a Poultry Market by Sorgh. Drawings attributed to him are also held in Paris at the Fondation Custodia – Frits Lugt Collection.

This presence in major collections allows us to place our painting within Sorgh’s most characteristic repertoire: the popular interior scene in which the depiction of the figures is combined with a true still life of utensils and household objects

The painting is currently set in a significant Dutch frame with tortoiseshell inlay, as shown in the photographs. This frame is not included in the listed price. An appraisal and valuation of the frame are currently underway. It may eventually be sold separately.

Comparable lots in public auctions:

Our painting features a size, style, and subjects very similar to the three lots listed below; the fact that it is attributed to Sorgh by the Tajan auction house in Paris but is unsigned explains the lower price and makes it possible to acquire a Sorgh for less than €3,000

Hendrik Maertensz SORGH (c. 1611–1670)
Men drinking and smoking in a barn
Lot No. 37
Oil on panel, 50.2 x 68.6 cm
Hammer price: €67,071 (58,000 £) Price including fees: €84,509 (73,080 £)
Old Masters, 19th-Century Paintings and Drawings from a Private Collection: Sold Without Reserve
July 2, 2025 Christie’s London, United Kingdom

Hendrik Maertensz SORGH (c. 1611–1670)
Merry Peasants
Lot No. 2072
Oil on panel, 60 x 83.5 cm
Hammer price: €120,000 Price including fees: €150,000 Reserve price: €60,000
Estimate: €80,000 - €120,000
Old Master Art and the 19th Century
May 21, 2022
Lempertz Cologne, Germany

Hendrik Maertensz SORGH (c. 1611–1670)
The Family Celebration (1659)
Lot No. 25
Oil on canvas 65 x 84 cm
Hammer price: 31,000 € Price including fees: 38,751 €
Art and Antiques
10/12/2021 Vanderkindere Brussels, Belgium