Rich Children, Poor Parents

Two rhymed verses on this panel tell the story. On a sheet at the lower left, the old father begs his son for help, reminding him they gave him all their money. On a plaque at the upper right, the son answers that he has nothing to give, because he has his position to keep up. Between the verses, the prosperous young couple stands on a terrace with their five children, while the grandparents come down the steps, the mother wiping her eyes. The museum reads it as a warning to both sides, since the son breaks the commandment to honour father and mother and the parents were rash to give everything away. Who painted it is not settled. The museum names Aert Pietersz, but says it could also be his brother, Pieter Pietersz. In 1955 it was sold in London simply as Dutch School.