Frau, die einem Dienstmädchen Geld gibt

After about 1660 de Hooch left Delft, where he had painted his sunlit courtyards, and moved to Amsterdam. His rooms grew richer to match the city, with marble floors, tall windows, and well-dressed households. This one shows the small business of running such a home: a seated lady hands coins from her purse to a servant girl holding a market pail, while a child tugs at the girl's apron. Scenes like this were about order and money as much as comfort, the mistress paying out for the day's shopping. Through the open window at the side he set a table with a water bottle and a glass catching the light.