Gerard van Honthorst: The procuress (1625)

(Centraal Museum, Utrecht, The Netherlands)

A painting by the Dutch artist Gerard van Honthorst (1592-1656). A procuress was an agent for prostitutes who collected part of their earnings. On this painting she is standing on the left and pointing towards the right. A young man is handing money to a young lady: the feathers in her hair, her colorful clothing and her cleavage show that she is a prostitute (the lute she is holding at the neck is a sexual reference). The piece itself is also a nice example of the Utrecht Caravaggism (a group of Dutch artists from the city of Utrecht who were influenced by the art of Caravaggio). Painting from 1625.