Gerard van Honthorst and The Matchmaker

'The Matchmaker' (1625) by Gerard van Honthorst; Centraal Museum, Utrecht

When I think of Dutch painter Gerard van Honthorst, born on 4 November 1592 and died on 27 April 1656, his painting 'The Matchmaker' immediately comes to mind. I've seen this in real life at the Centraal Museum in Utrecht where it is on permanent display and I think it is beautiful. It is evident that Van Honthorst was greatly influenced by the art of Caravaggio. He had gone to Italy in 1616 and upon returning to The Netherlands around 1620, he set up a school of Dutch artists who used the chiaroscuro style of Caravaggio. The group became known as the Dutch Caravaggisti, mainly active in the city of Utrecht. In this painting, the flute is symbol for the woman's sexual organ and unchastity. The man holds a purse with money in his left hand and is willing to pay. The girl offers to play the flute, or is she offering something else? Many Dutch paintings in the 17th century depict the flute which refers to prostitution. Despite the sexual connotation in this painting, I have always found it an uplifting scene. The girl looks so cheerful and the dramatic use of artificial light is simply beautiful.