Woman suckling an infant

This 1657 Woman Suckling an Infant at the National Museum in Oslo depicts a tender maternal subject that resonated with Dutch celebrations of family life. Such images combined the sacred associations of the nursing Madonna with the naturalistic observation of contemporary domestic life. Ferdinand Bol was one of Rembrandt's most talented pupils, and his portraits and history paintings from his years in the master's studio are sometimes difficult to distinguish from Rembrandt's own work—a testament to his exceptional skill in absorbing the master's technique.

The nursing scene is rendered with intimate warmth, Bol's soft lighting and careful observation of the mother-child bond creating an image of domestic tenderness within the Dutch naturalistic tradition.