Kitchen Scene

What the painting depicts

Jesus Christ, man.

From the museum

In this modest kitchen scene, a type known as a bodegón (from the Spanish word for pantry), Diego Velázquez depicted a young African woman at work, surrounded by exquisitely rendered pots, jugs, a mortar and pestle, and a crumpled paper wrapper for spices. In creating this painting, Velázquez may have used an enslaved woman from his or an associate’s household as a model. Slavery was widespread in the young artist’s hometown of Seville, Spain, and Velázquez, his father, and his teacher, Francisco Pacheco, were all enslavers.

Robert A. Waller Memorial Fund

Materials & technique

Materials: oil paint, canvas.

Technique: painting, oil painting, painting (image making), painting techniques.

Provenance

Private collection, Zurich [according to Mayer 1936]. Dr. L. von Buerkel, Munich [according to Mayer 1936]. Bottenwieser, Berlin [according to Mayer 1936]. J. Goudstikker, Amsterdam, by 1927, until 1935 [see Mayer 1927; Mayer 1936 mentions Mrs. Sterner, New York as owner between Goudstikker and the Art Institute, however, the painting was shipped directly from Goudstikker in Amsterdam to Chicago in November, 1935]; sold by Goudstikker to The Art Institute, 1935.

Where to see Kitchen Scene

Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. View on the museum’s official page.

See more works at Art Institute of Chicago or browse the full Diego Velázquez collection.