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The Mousetrap

A work made of engraving on ivory laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of engraving on ivory laid paper.

Date:

c. 1655

Artist:

Cornelis Visscher
Dutch, c. 1629-1658

About this artwork

Despite his brief lifespan, Cornelis Visscher gained notoriety in 17th-century Holland for his accomplished portraits and unusual depictions of Dutch peasant life. Though many of the latter were derived from paintings, The Mousetrap appears to be Visscher’s original design. In this closely cropped scene, he depicted a couple moments after they have successfully captured an unwelcome critter. The lit candle held by the man illuminates their triumphant expressions as well as the trap’s effectiveness, emphasizing the picture’s contrast.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Cornelis Visscher

Title

The Mousetrap

Place

Holland (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1650–1660

Medium

Engraving on ivory laid paper

Dimensions

Sheet: 14 × 19.7 cm (5 9/16 × 7 13/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Horace S. Oakley

Reference Number

1923.995

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/9375/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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