Jul 4
Smiling Girl, a Courtesan, Holding an Obscene Image
Artist: Gerrit van Honthorst (Dutch, 1592–1656)
Date: 1625
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis, MO, United States
Description
At first glance, this image appears to be a simple picture of a smiling young woman. It is in fact a prostitute’s portrait. Such paintings advertised a young woman’s availability. Here, she holds a medallion inscribed, “Who can tell my backside from behind,” which confirms the erotic nature of this image.
