The Terrace by a Delft Artist

There is a lovely scene of a young lady and her gentleman friend on the terrace of their home by a Delft Artist. The name of the painting is "The Terrace" which hangs in the galleries of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The scene takes place from a window that looks outside to the terrace. On the window sill there is an elegant cloth make of the finest materials wrapping some type of sword (only the handle is visible). This cloth is the vehicle that leads us from the inner room to the sun filled terrace and garden that is beyond.

As you look over the handle of the sword it is juxtaposed with the musical instruments that are on the chair adjacent the table on the terrace. From the appearance of the musical scores and instruments laying about there must have been musicians playing and hence left the scene for the young couple are not dressed or suited for such activity. The young couple are well dressed, the young lady in red and white and her companion in dark attire, there is an air of pleasantry between them.

Behind the couple in the window above are two figures, a man (his back is to us) and a woman, how they are related to the scene is not known but the lady seems to be watching the young couple, perhaps a guardian. The table next to the young couple is covered in a very rich cloth of bright red and on top is a tray with a wine ewer, adjacent the wine vessel musical scores. To the back of the young man and all the way across the terrace is a fine stone balustrade on top of which are statues and a large flowerpot (all in Classical relief).

Viewing through the balustrade you can see the formal gardens, which are symmetrically laid out. In the middle is a garden walk leading to an entryway, which opens to the fields beyond. There are trees planted on each side in balanced form complimenting the vines on the wall behind.

Great attention to detail has been made in this work of art for if you study the work carefully you will be able to see such fine details as bricks, cloth patterns, and leaves on the trees. This is a wonderful documentation of what life was like for polite society in 17th Century Holland.

Stephen F. Condren – Artist