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The Sick Child
Public domain

The Sick Child

Gabriël Metsu · c. 1664 - c. 1666 · canvas; oil paint (paint)

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

In 1663, the plague ravaged Amsterdam, claiming one in ten lives. Around this time, Metsu painted this picture of a mother comforting her sick child. Their posture evokes a pieta: the Virgin Mary with the body of Jesus on her lap. The painting on the wall, depicting Christ on the cross, serves as a poignant reminder of that suffering.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Subjects
paintingpatient, sick personpicture, painting
Credit lineHet zieke kind. c. 1664 - c. 1666. Gabriël Metsu. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
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