Interior with a Mother Combing Her Child’s Hair, Known as ‘Maternal Care’, Caspar Netscher, 1669

Interior with a Mother Combing Her Child’s Hair, Known as ‘Maternal Care’, Caspar Netscher, 1669

oil on panel, h 44.5cm × w 38cm More details

These two children serve as examples of good and bad upbringing. Toys litter the floor in a dimly lit bedroom. A mother combs the long curls of her son, who obediently leans on her lap. Meanwhile, her daughter mischievously sticks out her tongue in the mirror – is it directed at her reflection or at the maid in the background?