I once had the opportunity to see this painting in a museum, and must say that a photo hardly does justice to it. I was blown away. Of course, there is the mastery of Van Honthorst, but it’s also the size of it (71 cm × 104 cm) and the POV, as if you are the man who is about to spend some time with this mesmerizing young woman.

Background

The Matchmaker or The Procuress is an oil on panel painting by Dutch artist Gerard van Honthorst, created in 1625.

The painting presents a young woman with a provocative neckline and a seductive smile; she is accompanied by a man who carries a purse in his hand and an old woman. All of them are in a shallow space. The light from the candle on the table accentuates the young woman’s cleavage and her colorful and feathered clothes. On the left, an old matchmaker, with a tooth protruding from her closed mouth, keeps an eye on what is happening. The lute, in this situation, refers to an object of prostitutes and therefore has an erotic meaning. The lute is also a symbol for female genitalia and lust. The painting abounds in contrasts, not only between light and darkness, but also between youth and old age. One end of the young woman’s right nipple is barely noticeable.

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